Baby Bok Choy With Lime-Miso Vinaigrette

These bright green heads are a fraction of the heft of full-grown bok choy and have a mellower, sweeter taste. The resulting side dish is lovely with salmon or other full-flavored fatty fish. The size of baby bok choy can vary significantly. To ensure they’re all the same size, leave the smallest whole, quarter the largest lengthwise, and halve the ones in between. You can cut the bok choy and make the vinaigrette several hours ahead; refrigerate until you’re ready to grill.

May 10, 2018

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • grated zest of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons white or light miso
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy

Preparation

1.  Start coals or heat gas grill for medium direct cooking. Make sure grates are clean.

2.  Whisk oil, lime zest, lime juice, miso, and vinegar together in small bowl until combined and thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

3.  Trim the bottoms from bok choy and cut into halves or quarters as needed. Pour half the vinaigrette into large baking dish. Add bok choy and turn in the vinaigrette until completely coated.

4.  Put bok choy on grill directly over the fire. Close the lid and cook, turning once, until the leaves brown and you can insert a knife through the core with no resistance, 5-10 minutes per side, depending on their size. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with reserved vinaigrette, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations:

Baby Bok Choy with Sesame-Miso Vinaigrette
Omit the lime zest and add 1 teaspoon each sesame oil and red chile flakes.

Baby Bok Choy with Coconut-Chile Sauce
Omit the vinaigrette. Seed and chop 1 or more small red chiles (such as Thai) and whisk together with ¼ cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon each rice vinegar and fish sauce, the grated zest of 1 lime, and some salt and pepper. Use as directed for the vinaigrette.

Ginger-Garlic Baby Bok Choy with Black Vinegar 
Sweet and smoky, Chinese black vinegar is available at most Asian markets. (If you can’t find it, balsamic vinegar approximates its flavor, though it won’t be the same.) For the vinaigrette, whisk together ¼ cup vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons black vinegar, 1 tablespoon each minced fresh ginger and garlic, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce.

About this recipe

BABY BOK CHOY WITH LIME-MISO VINAIGRETTE is excerpted from HOW TO GRILL EVERYTHING ©2018 by Mark Bittman. Photography © 2018 by Christina Holmes. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.

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Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • grated zest of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons white or light miso
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy