Grilled Bok Choy

Don't forget to eat your veggies!

One fine evening this past summer, Ms. Lexi invited m'self and m'spouse over to her place for a spontaneous grill night, where she turned me on to the delight that is grilled baby bok choy. We've had it at quite a few cookouts since. It's simple to prepare, looks great, tastes yum, and has enough flavor to stand up well with the various main courses we've served it with (including spice-rubbed London broil, grilled chicken, and oysters).

INGREDIENTS
1 baby bok choy per person, sliced in half lengthwise
Olive oil
Salt & pepper














Arrange the sliced bok choy on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. If you like a little more flavor, you can use an herb-infused oil, but nothing too strong since one of the great things about bok choy is its light, cabbage-like flavor.














Season with salt & pepper to taste. We usually just sprinkle seasonings on the cut side of the bok choy, but you could also season your oil before brushing, to eliminate a step.

Grill over medium coals until the bulb is tender-crisp and the leaves are crisp and lightly charred.

"Medium coals" for us often means that the bok choy is cooking to one side of the fire or with the grill open so that the heat dissipates. You don't want to absolutely charbroil the stuff - it's a veggie, not a Cajun catfish.














Here's the delightful little things after being turned once. The edges of the leaves get nice and crunchy-crisp and just a little bitter, while the bulb stays hot and sweet and retains a slightly spicy cabbage-like flavor. It's a great contrast to rich meats, and washes down well with dry white wines or lighter beers.