potato and bok choy recipe with basil and thyme, and a video that came at a cost

If you are not a great fan of Swiss chards, dear neighbor, perhaps you should try bok choy. It has less of an earthy taste, its ribs are less fibrous, its green leaves less impressive and less bitter also. For all these reasons, I am not quite so hesitant to put it on our plates 😊. However, as it is somewhat bland, I never serve it without some other vegetable. In this recipe, I combine it with potatoes, herbs and a little garlic. If you like cheese and it likes you back (meaning it doesn’t trigger asthma or skin problems for you), feel free to add some Swiss cheese or cheddar to melt at the end of the recipe or when you warm up your vegetables – one additional good thing about this dish is that you can prepare it ahead of time and reheated either on low in an oven (don’t forget to cover it to prevent drying up), or in a microwave. And if you would rather spice up your bok choy, here is another recipe with curry and  potatoes here, or one with rice and a peanut sauce here.

Ingredients : (serves 2 to 3 people; all ingredients should preferably be organic)

– 500 g potatoes (2 very large ones)

– one “head” bok choy

– 2 TBSP olive oil

– 2 tsp dry thyme

– 2 tsp dry basil

– 1 to 2 garlic cloves, depending on size, how much you like it and also your body’s ability to process sulfur

– 1 tsp untreated sea salt, such as Celtic salt

Equipment:

You should use a pot or frying pan with a large enough bottom so the potatoes won’t overlap, a lid to fit over it, and a garlic press.

How to: (video after the recipe)

1. Peel the potatoes and dice them as evenly as possible for “even and uneventful” cooking (otherwise the smaller pieces will end up with heat stroke long before the bigger ones are thoroughly cooked, oops!). Cut and discard the base of the bok choy, wash the stems, remove the green part and set aside.

2. Heat the 2 TBSP olive oil and add 500g diced potatoes. Cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are golden.

3. Add 2 tsp dry basil leaves, 2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp untreated sea salt, plus 1 to 2 garlic cloves, pressed, stir and cover. Cook on low, making sure the potatoes are not sticking; should this happen, add 1 to 2 TBSP water to the pot.

4. While the potatoes are cooking, chop the bok choy stems in small even rectangular pieces, and finely chop the leaves.

5. Test the potatoes for tenderness before adding the stems and chopped leaves to the pot. Stir well and cook on low another 15 minutes or so, until the stems have turned translucent.

To be served as is, or with the proteins of your choice. Best eaten freshly made, but, as I said in the introduction, it can be reheated.

The making of this dish was filmed… but the video came at a cost, dear neighbors! My husband-turned-faithful-cameraman complained that the steam rising from the pot was fogging up his glasses, and, worst of all, that it was burning his hands 😬! On my end, I must say I am not completely satisfied with his framing, not sure it was a good idea to be filming my legs…

I will let you meditate over what is starting to feel like a regular labor-management conflict 😄 and leave you to your own pots, pans, and cameras! So long, dear neighbors, take care!

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