Provençal Bok Choy

This was a lovely dish tonight. Like others, I usually do an Asian bok choy -- most often a variation from Barbara Kafka's Microwave Gourmet featuring garlic, ginger and sesame sees (but not soy sauce). I serve it frequently but since I had just ordered two huge heads of BC and had prepared one just recently using the edited Kafka version, I was looking for a non-Asian version. I had to do a lot of substitutions! My fresh thyme was dried, but I used it anyway. I had no fresh orange zest so I used a dried variety. Luckily my Kalamata olives were already sliced so I didn't have to bother. I didn't have any fresh tomatoes so I used canned ... even so it was delish. Hubby liked it as well. A refreshing change from my standard recipe. Next time I'll have the proper ingredients on hand, but you don't really have to ...

• mura

• Brooklyn, NY

• 3/6/2016

I make this in a wok, which is about the only Asian thing about this preparation! It's delicious - can't recommend it highly enough. I add a generous grinding of black pepper and some kosher salt to finish. Fantastic.

• LauraMarigny

• 2/21/2015

I have cooked bok choy many times, but, being an asian vegetable, the recipes in which I used it never lacked soy sauce. This is a refreshing new take, and although I felt like the soy was missing, being used to that combination, the sauce in this recipe certainly did not lack flavour! I unfortunately had to use dry herbs, and halved them. I did have the good fortune of having fresh organic orange zest on hand. I used three heads of bok choy but the weight (although the heads were rather large) was about half that specified. I think it is a mistake in the recipe, as the seasoning did seem about right this way. I thank the user who suggested leaving the olives whole (that saved me a lot of work, especially as I don't have an olive pitter). I almost forgot, and so added the olives late in the cooking, and I don't know how much that affected the flavour. I increased the heat to high in the last three minutes, as it did not seem the bok choy had cooked enough. In the end the leaves were completely wilted but the stems were crisp. I had very firm tomatoes so they ended up holding their shape quite well. I kept helping myself to more, and my husband seemed to enjoy the dish as well.

• BlueMona

• Montreal, Canada

• 11/1/2012

Didn't love this. Like other reviewers, I got a bok choy in my CSA share and wanted to use it in a non-Asian setting. I found that the bok choy expressed a lot of liquid in the cooking and was somewhat bitter. The tomatoes didn't hold up too well to the heat and lost their shape; the flavors didn't meld perfectly. I did like the notes of orange and added a splash of fresh juice when serving.

• Magstown

• Weston, MA

• 7/11/2012

I bought organic bok choy at the Farmer's Market, but didn't know what to do with it. This recipe was perfect, easy but delicious, even my husband liked it. I didn't have fresh parsley or thyme so I used dried. It was fine.

• Gaildwsn

• Charleston, SC

• 6/18/2011

I added extra orange zest, and it made the flavor a little bitter, but otherwise delicious. I served it over wild rice.... yum.

• Anonymous

• San Francisco, CA

• 11/30/2010

This was my first time trying bok choy. It was wonderful! I didn't have a real orange so I just put in a splash of orange juice and it was fine. The bok choy cooked much quicker than 10-12 minutes I think. I was adding things in parts so can't say for sure. I put the entire dish over basmati rice (including the wonderful cooking sauce). It was delicious!

• lilvuva

• Cary, NC

• 5/29/2010

An excellent use for bok choy, and would work for kale or collards as well. Halve the recipe for a generous two-person side dish with a Quorn cutlet or chicken breast. I added capers and left the olives whole to get little bursts of flavor and cut down on prep time. If you have anchovy paste a teaspoon of that would be a good addition.

• turtledawn

• Lexington, KY

• 1/5/2010

Turned out to be bitter. Not sure what I did wrong because I love Bok Choy and cook it a lot in the Asian interpretation.

• narmina

• 11/12/2009

I upped the orange zest quite a bit: at least double the amount called for in the recipe. Very nice combo.

• kwiewora

• Philadelphia, PA

• 10/20/2009

Nice variation on bok choy. We get bok choy in our CSA frequently and it is nice to not have to make something asian themed with the bok choy. I would may be add another bay leaf next time.

• kajschneider

• san diego, ca

• 10/17/2009

bok choy is not my favorite vegetable, but this unusual recipe is excellent. the unexpected provencal flavors cut the bitterness and the wateriness of the choy very nicely. the orange zest (don't skimp) adds nice flavor. i have served this over pasta. by jowein on 07/21/09

• jowein

• Chicago, IL

• 7/21/2009

我们刚刚放弃了白菜的味道is a little too strong and bitter for us, and we were getting tired of asian-y stir fries. But this recipe is such an unusual treatment for the vegetable, we gave it a try. The robust flavors of the herbs, tomatoes, and olives really give some backbone to the dish. I threw in a splash of red wine for good measure (w/ the tomatoes). This recipe will be the fate of all bok choy to enter our house from here on. :)

• Hanamaru

• Kentucky

• 6/30/2009