sugarloaf chicory | thebrookcook

I receive a LOT of baby bok choy in my CSA share. Every time my husband spots it, he requests his favorite Thai dish, Pad See Ew. I do have a favorite version that I typically prepare, but, by chance I received a new recipe (email 😉 ) for his special dish when I received my recent bounty of bok choy.

The goal of this recipe was to recreate a high-heat wok cooked dish on a stove top by altering the stir fry technique. By cooking the ingredients in batches and combining all of the ingredients just prior to serving, the high-heat char typical of this dish was achieved. This version was indeed the closest I’ve come to reproducing my husband’s favorite take out dish.

This recipe was adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. I used baby bok choy instead of broccolini, chicken thighs instead of breasts, Thai chiles instead of serrano, and fresh rice noodles. I reduced the oil and doubled the recipe as well. Great!

Yield: Serves 8

For the Chile-Vinegar:

1/3 cup white vinegar
2 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, stemmed and sliced into thin rings

For the Stir-Fry:

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut against grain into ¼-inch thick slices
2 tsp baking soda
24 oz fresh wide rice noodles (can substitute 16 oz 1/4-inch wide dried rice noodles)
5-6 T vegetable oil (I used sunflower seed oil)
1/2 cup oyster sauce
3 T soy sauce
4 T packed dark brown sugar
2 T white vinegar
2 tsp molasses
2 tsp fish sauce
8 garlic cloves, sliced thin
6 large eggs
2 pounds baby bok choy (about 10), sliced into 1/2-inch pieces, separated into leaves and stems (broccolini or broccoli are good substitutes)
additional greens, if desired (I added 1/2 head of my CSA Sugarloaf Chicory as well)

For the Chile Vinegar:

Combine vinegar and serrano in bowl. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

For the Stir Fry:

Combine chicken with 4 tablespoons water and baking soda in bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Rinse chicken in cold water and drain well.
If using fresh rice noodles: Place noodles in very hot tap water until they can be separated into large pieces. (If using dried rice noodles: Bring 6 cups water to boil. Place noodles in large bowl. Pour boiling water over noodles. Stir, then soak until noodles are almost tender, about 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through soak. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well and toss with 2 teaspoons oil.)
Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, molasses, and fish sauce together in bowl.
Heat 1 T oil and garlic in 12-inch (nonstick) skillet over high heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is deep golden brown, about minute.
Add chicken and 4 tablespoons sauce mixture, toss to coat, and spread chicken into even layer. Cook, without stirring, until chicken begins to brown, 1 to 1½ minutes.
Using tongs, flip chicken and cook, without stirring, until second side begins to brown, 1 to 1½ minutes.
Push chicken to 1 side of skillet. Add 1 T oil to cleared side of skillet.
Add eggs to clearing. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs gently and cook until set but still wet. Stir eggs into chicken and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, until eggs are fully cooked, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken mixture to bowl.
Heat 1 T oil in now-empty skillet until smoking. Add bok choy stems and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the remaining bok choy leaves and 4 tablespoons sauce and toss to coat.
Cover skillet and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
Remove lid and continue to cook until broccolini is crisp and very brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Transfer broccolini to bowl with chicken mixture.
Sauce any additional greens in the remaining cooking liquid, if desired.
Heat 1 T oil in now-empty skillet until smoking. Add half of noodles and 4 tablespoons sauce and toss to coat. Cook until noodles are starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Transfer noodles to bowl with chicken mixture.
Repeat with remaining 1 T oil, noodles, and sauce. When second batch of noodles is cooked, add contents of bowl back to skillet and toss to combine. Cook, without stirring, until everything is warmed through, 1 to 1½ minutes.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately, passing chile vinegar separately.

One Year Ago:

Red Lentil & Butternut Squash Soup (Shorabit Jarjir)

Two Years Ago:

Pasta Alla Norma with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Three Years Ago:

I’m sharing my special stir fry at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #146, co-hosted by Antonia @Zoale and Petra @Food Eat Love. Enjoy! 🙂

This is another greens-loaded, fast and delicious weeknight meal. It would also be wonderful served at a brunch. The sage-chile butter really added something special to the finished dish. Hearty and vegetarian. Great!

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living. I increased the amount of garlic and greens. I also used a combination of escarole, sugarloaf chicory, turnip and kohlrabi greens from my CSA share; any combination of greens would work well. We ate it with a sourdough baguette. I read a suggestion to eat it with grits which would be another tasty option.

Yield: Serves 2 to 4

For the Sage-Chile Butter:

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon small sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

For the Eggs and Greens:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces white button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8-12 cups cooking greens (cut into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons), such as collard, mustard, or kale (or any combination)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
finely grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
sourdough baguette, for serving, if desired

Make the sage-chile butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sage and red-pepper flakes. Simmer until sage is crisp, about 3 minutes.
Make the eggs and greens: Heat a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. Swirl in oil. Cook mushrooms with 1/2 teaspoon salt until golden and tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, then greens and water.
Cook, stirring, until greens wilt. Add unsalted butter, and stir until melted.
Push greens to make 4 wells. Crack 1 egg into each. Season with salt (and pepper, if desired). Cook for 4 minutes. Let stand until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes.
Drizzle with sage-chile butter. Garnish with grated cheese accompanied by baguette slices, as desired.