Pad See Ew #2

I have made several versions of Pad See Ew, otherwise known as my husband’s favorite Thai dish. 🙂 I have never been able to replicate the sauce from his tasty take-out version. Months ago, when I saw this version from Nell’s I Need a Feed on Fiesta Friday, I knew that I had to try it. When I received 6 baby bok choy in my CSA box, I knew it was finally time! (My next box had 3 additional bok choy which I sautéed and added to the leftovers- great timing!)

The most exciting thing about making this dish – besides eating it, of course- is that I am able to purchase fresh wide rice noodles from one of our local Oriental Grocery stores. They are brought in fresh from Queens several times a week. JUST like the noodles from the Thai restaurant! The problem is that the packaging doesn’t have any cooking instructions. I tore the large noodle(s) into pieces and soaked in them in boiling water for 5 min– WAY too long! When mixed into the finished dish, the noodles broke down into small pieces. Next time I would soak them 1-2 minutes, or maybe just add them to the dish as is!?! (I modified the instructions below.)

The wonderful news is that this sauce was spot on. Loaded with salty-sweetness. My husband loved it! 🙂 Thanks, Nell!

Serves: 4 to 6

• meat from 1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded into large pieces
• 2- 12 oz packages fresh wide rice noodles, torn into large pieces (at room temperature)
• 2 T peanut oil
• 6 baby bok choy, leaves sliced into 2-inch ribbons, stems cut into 1/2-inch pieces (plus more, to taste)
• 8 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dark soy sauce
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Prepare the Ingredients: Shred the chicken meat. Cut and wash the bok choy. Break up the rice noodles. Lightly beat the eggs.
2. Make the Sauce: Combine the soy sauces in a measuring cup; add the sugar and garlic. Set aside.
3. Prepare the Noodles: Place torn noodle pieces into a pot of boiling water (off the heat). Let sit for 1 minute, or until pliable. (*Alternatively, consider adding the torn noodle pieces to the dish without soaking.*)
4. Heat large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the peanut oil. Add the bok choy stems and sauté for 2 minutes, or until tender. Add the leaves and cook for an additional minute, or until wilted.
5. Add the chicken to the pan with noodles and sauce; stir until heated through.
6. Make a well in center of the noodle mixture and add the egg. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the egg starts to set. Stir the bits of cooked egg through the dish; serve.

One Year Ago:

• Chili-Lime Pork Tenderloin with Corn Salad

Two Years Ago:

• Pad See Ew (#1)

Roasted Cabbage and Bacon Pasta

I love finding new uses for cabbage. I was so excited to read about roasting cabbage with bacon on Cottage Grove House. I had never roasted cabbage before. Genius!– and I had two types of CSA cabbage sitting in my refrigerator waiting for a plan! 🙂 The original recipe was for a side dish but I thought it would be fabulous over pasta as a main dish. This recipe was adapted from cottagegrovehouse.com. It was DELICIOUS!!

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 1/2 head green and/or red cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 head savoy or napa cabbage, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 6 slices of thick cut bacon, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• drizzling of avocado or olive oil
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan, for serving
• 3/4 to 1 pound fresh pasta noodles, such as Trofie or dry pasta noodles, such as Strozzapreti

 

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (convection).
2. Place the cabbage, bacon, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss until well coated. Spread evenly onto two large, rimmed baking sheets. 
3. Roast, turning regularly with a spatula, about 30 minutes, or until well roasted and bacon is crispy, yet still meaty.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt. Cook the pasta according to package directions.
5. Combine cooked pasta with cabbage mixture. Top with grated cheese and serve.

Vegetable (& Chicken) Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

I have made this pot pie many, many times. I love the pearl onions, rosemary-infused broth based sauce, and puff pastry crust. In this version, I loaded it with CSA vegetables- including carrots, kohlrabi, and 5 baby bok choy! It was more of a vegetable pot pie, which I prefer. Tasty. This recipe was adapted from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins.

Yield: Serves 8

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups sliced carrots (1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1 large kohlrabi
• 5 baby bok choy or other greens such as kale or chard
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 2 cups pearl onions
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken breasts (about 2 large), cut into chunks or strips, about 4 cups
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook. (I used grilled chicken this time but broiled, steamed or poached are also all options.) Cut into bite-sized cubes or strips.
2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the carrots, kohlrabi, and 1 rosemary sprig, and boil for 4 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and set aside. Discard the rosemary.
3. With the tip of a paring knife, make a small incision at the root end of each onion; be careful not to cut through completely so that the onion does not fall apart in cooking. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, add the onions, and cook until just tender, 10 minutes. Using a bamboo strainer, lift onions out of the boiling water, rinse under cold water, and peel. Set aside.
4. Add the greens to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, until wilted. Drain and set aside.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and cook, whisking over medium-low heat, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the reserved carrot/kohlrabi liquid. Cook, whisking, until thickened, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add a sprig of rosemary, cover, and set aside to cool. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
6. Spread the chicken and vegetables evenly over the bottom of a deep 9×11 pan. Pour thickened sauce over the mixture and insert rosemary sprigs.
7. Roll the thawed puff pastry to a rectangle large enough to seal over the baking dish. (I roll it between pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper.)
8. Whisk the egg and water together, and brush to outside rim of the baking dish with the egg wash. Drape the dough over the top and press the edges to seal. Brush the top with egg wash as well. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
10. Transfer the baking dish to the oven, and bake until the pastry is puffed and well browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve immediately.

Soba Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms & Bok Choy

This is an Asian inspired noodle dish adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Field of Greens: New Vegetarian Recipes from the Celebrated Greens Restaurant by Annie Somerville. It is so “out of the box” for me! I don’t make a lot of Asian food…. but we do eat a lot of pasta. 🙂

I first made this dish when I received baby bok choy in my CSA box and didn’t know what to do with it. Now, I’m hooked on this recipe. It has so many wonderful fresh flavors- bok choy, shiitakes, fresh ginger, cilantro, scallions- not to mention the flavor from the peanut and sesame oils. It also has a spicy kick from the jalapeño. Super tasty.

Serves 2 to 4

• 1/4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 large or 2-3 small heads of bok choy or 6+ baby bok choy
• coarse salt
• 6 ounces thin dried buckwheat or soba noodles
• 2 T peanut oil
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2/3 T grated fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeño or serrano chile, seeded, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 1-2 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal
• 1 T dark sesame oil
• 2 T mirin (sweet cooking sake)
• 2 T light soy sauce
• 2 T coarsely chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp sesame seed, toasted, optional

1. Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil.
2. Remove the mushroom stems and cut the caps into 1/2-inch slices. (The stems can be saved for stock.)
3. For small heads of bok choy, slice the stem lengthwise, leaving leaf and stem together. For a large head, slice the stems diagonally, 3/4-inch thick, and slice the leaves into 2-inch wide ribbons.
4. When the water boils, add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the noodles and cook as directed on the package.
5. While the pasta is cooking, heat the peanut oil in a large sauté pan; add the shiitake mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, chilies, and bok choy and sauté for 2 minutes.
6. Drain the pasta in a colander when it is just tender. Reduce the heat under the sauté pan and add the scallion, sesame oil, mirin, and soy sauce. Quickly add the noodles, taking care not to overcook the bok choy.
7. Remove from the heat, toss the noodles with the vegetables and cilantro, and season with salt to taste, if necessary. Sprinkle with the sesame seed, if using.

Collard Greens with Dumplings

The bacon, chipotle, and collards all work well together in this dish, and the dumplings balance the spiciness. I have made this dish using all collard greens, but also with a combination of collards, bok choy, escarole, and chicory greens from my CSA share. It think that this is a great dish to make to gobble up tons of greens! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from CHOW.com. I chopped the chipotle chiles before incorporating to add heat. I also replaced some of the water with chicken stock.

Yield: 4 servings

For the collard greens:

• 8 ounces bacon, medium dice
• 1 medium yellow or Vidalia onion, medium dice
• 3 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 chipotle chiles, with adobo sauce, left whole or chopped for added spiciness
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1 cup chicken stock, plus 1 cup water
• 2+ pounds collard greens, tough stems removed, washed, and cut into bite-sized pieces (or any combination of mixed greens)

For the dumplings:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

For the greens:

1. Place the bacon in a 10-inch Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate and discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pot.
2. Add the onion, garlic, chiles, and measured salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and beginning to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the stock and water, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Stir in the greens a handful at a time, adding more as they wilt, until they’re all in the pot.
4. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the greens are very tender and almost falling apart, about 20 minutes for collard greens or about 10 minutes for a combination of mixed greens. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

For the dumplings:

1. When the greens are ready, place the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Add the buttermilk and melted butter and stir until the flour mixture is moistened and a soft dough forms.
3. Drop the dough in heaping tablespoons, about 8-9 dumplings, about 1/2 inch apart into the simmering greens. (I used a large ice cream scoop.)
4. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through and the tops are no longer sticky, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the whole chipotle pods from the pot, if desired.
6. Sprinkle the greens and dumplings with the reserved bacon and serve immediately.

Chicken and Kale Casserole

I was thinking about serving a quick meal of Costco rotisserie chicken, roasted vegetables, and roasted potatoes when my husband complained that he just couldn’t eat that AGAIN. 😉 I started looking for rotisserie chicken recipes, and this one seemed great.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living’s Everyday Food. I reduced the amount of lemon zest and cheese and increased the amount of garlic. I used a combination of CSA kale and bok choy, and added red pepper flakes. The lemon adds a little unexpected flavor and brightness.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 3/4 pound large pasta shells
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced medium
• 3-10 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bunches kale (1 1/2 pounds), tough stems and ribs removed, leaves coarsely chopped (I used a combination of kale & bok choy)
• 2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken (from 1/2 rotisserie chicken)
• 1 16 oz container part-skim or whole milk ricotta
• finely grated lemon zest from 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup Parmesan, grated (2 1/4 ounces) (I used Parmigiano-Reggiano)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain; return to pot.
3. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is beginning to soften, 4 minutes.
4. Add kale, cover, and cook until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to pot with pasta.
5. Stir in chicken, ricotta, lemon zest, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.
6. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with 1/4 cup Parmesan
7. Bake until top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Pad See Ew

This is my husband’s favorite Thai dish. I have been trying to replicate his Thai take-out experience at home for quite a while. Ironically, this updated adaptation of my first attempt may be his favorite.

This is an easy and fast dish to throw together when we have leftover chicken or a lot of fresh greens. I especially love making it when I receive an abundance of baby bok choy in my CSA share.

This recipe is a combination of recipes from Food and Wine, CHOW.com, foodnetwork.com, among others. If the fresh wide rice noodles are difficult to find, substitute dry rice noodles.

• 2 12-oz packages of fresh wide rice noodles or  1 8 to 14-oz package dry rice noodles
• 1 pound (or more) bok choy, broccoli rabe, or other greens (I typically use about 8 baby bok choy)
• 4 T vegetable oil, divided
• 6-9 large garlic cloves, sliced paper thin
• 4 to 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 1 large chicken breast, seasoned, grilled or broiled, and shredded
• 6 T soy sauce (light or dark)
• 6 T oyster sauce
• 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1. If using fresh rice noodles, bring them to room temperature. Then, separate and tear them into large pieces; set aside. (Alternatively, if using dry rice noodles, place the noodles in a pot of boiling water.  Turn off the heat, and let soak until loose a pliable but not soft, about 5-8 minutes.  Drain and set aside.)
2. If using bok choy, cut the leaves into 1 1/2-inch ribbons. Cut the stems into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Wash and keep separate.
3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; broil or grill. Hand shred the meat when cool enough to handle, set aside.
4. Prep all other ingredients prior to cooking so that they can be incorporated quickly. (I combine the soy and oyster sauces with the sugar in a measuring cup with a spout.)
5. Heat 2 T of vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  (I used a 14-inch stainless steel skillet.)
6. When it shimmers, add the bok choy stems and cook for 2 minutes. Then, add the bok choy leaves and continue to cook for an additional minute.
7. Add the garlic and shredded chicken, and cook until garlic just begins to color and the chicken warms through, about 1 minute.
8. Push mixture to the outside of the pan and add remaining 1 T oil to the center of the pan. Pour the eggs into the oil and scramble briefly until eggs begin to set, then let cook undisturbed until solid, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix eggs into mixture.
9. Remove the chicken-greens-egg mixture from the pan and set aside.
10. Add the remaining 1 T oil to the pan over medium-high heat. Add the torn fresh noodles along with the soy and oyster sauces and sugar and cook until the noodles absorb the sauce and are warmed through, about 3 minutes.
11. Add the chicken-greens-egg mixture to the saucy noodles. Mix to incorporate. Serve.

Note: The chicken can be omitted for a vegetarian version.

This post was first published in October 2012, updated October 2020.