Twenty Bag | Oct 20
In this week’s Twenty Bag: Arugula, bok choy, basil, sweet potatoes, Georgia cucumber CV, okra, cherry belle radish, and last but not least—organic grown grape tomatoes, squash and zucchini from Watsonia Farms.
I’ve been waiting with bated breath for the return of bok choy to the Bag. So what, exactly, is this showy cousin of the cabbage, and what’s up with the different spellings? A little digging turned up these nuggets—bok choy evolved in China, where it has been cultivated since the 5th century AD. Spelling depends on where you live or preference. Bok choy—white vegetable in Cantonese—is widely used in North America, as well as bok choi. The Brits call it pak choi. The crunchy cruciferous veggie has a mild, addicting flavor—taste a bit of raw stalk if you’re unfamiliar with it. I like to showcase it in a simple preparation like this one for sauteed bok choy. Try it raw or roasted, in a stir-fry, or blanched and served in a savory soup.
Prime baking weather has arrived and I’m planning on warming up my hearth with this excellent, easy recipe for zucchini bread. It produces two moist, aromatic loaves and works well with the combination of zucchini and squash we have in this week’s Bag.
While you’ve got the oven fired up, toss okra that’s been washed, trimmed and sliced in good olive oil and roast it on a sheet pan for a no-fuss side dish or snack.
The arugula is wonderful in a salad or smoothie, and also mixed in with a bunch of spinach and sauteed with garlic and good olive oil. A pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and—boom!
A quick search of sweetgrass + grits will take you to plenty more recipes—all gathered specifically for your (and my!) Twenty Bag needs.
Enjoy!
Harleston’s storage tips: Baby greens can stay in their little plastic bag and are already washed. Bok choi, squash and zukes, cukes, radish, and okra can all go in a plastic bag of sorts for best storage. Tomatoes on the counter or in the fridge. Sweet potatoes on the counter or in the pantry. Basil in a little vase of water or protected in a little plastic bag.
