Coal Roasted Bok Choy Recipe
parsnip, sauerkraut butter & trout roe
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Ingredients
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Produce & Vegetables
Pantry & Fats
Seafood & Garnish
Method
Prep & Parsnip Purée
- 1
Peel and chop parsnips
Peel the parsnips and cut into 1-inch pieces so they cook evenly (about 2 cups).
- 2
Cook parsnips
Place parsnip pieces in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until very tender, 12–15 minutes.
- 3
Drain and purée
Drain parsnips, reserving about 2–3 tablespoons of cooking liquid. Transfer parsnips to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, and 1–2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid as needed. Purée until smooth and season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Keep warm.
Sauerkraut Butter
- 4
Prepare sauerkraut
Rinse sauerkraut briefly in a fine sieve under cold water to take away excess acidity, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Roughly chop the rinsed sauerkraut.
- 5
Make sauerkraut butter
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the chopped sauerkraut and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes to warm and mellow. Remove from heat and let cool 1 minute, then stir mixture into the remaining 2 tablespoons of softened butter (off heat) until well combined. Season very lightly with a pinch of salt if needed. Keep at room temperature so it remains spreadable.
Coal Roasted Bok Choy
- 6
Prepare bok choy
Trim the base of each baby bok choy and halve lengthwise through the stem so each becomes two similar-sized pieces. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely — moisture prevents good charring.
- 7
- 8
Oil and season bok choy
Toss halved bok choy in a bowl with 1 tablespoon neutral oil and a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of kosher salt and a few cracks of black pepper, coating leaves and cut sides.
- 9
Char bok choy
Place bok choy cut-side down directly over the hottest part of the coals or on the hot cast-iron surface. Press gently so cut face contacts the grill. Char without moving for 2–3 minutes until deep brown/black grill marks form. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes on the outer leaves until slightly wilted but still bright green. Total cook time about 3–5 minutes per piece depending on heat. Transfer to a platter.
- 10
Assembly & Garnish
- 11
Plate parsnip purée
Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the warm parsnip purée onto each plate and spread into an oval or pool in the center.
- 12
- 13
Finish with trout roe and herbs
Dot 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon trout roe on each bok choy piece (about 2 tablespoons total distributed across 4 servings). Scatter finely snipped chives or microgreens and place tiny quenelles or dabs of the remaining sauerkraut butter on the plate. Zest a little lemon over the dish and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over the bok choy for brightness. Finish with a light grind of black pepper.
- 14
Serve
Serve immediately while the bok choy is warm and the roe is cool to provide temperature contrast.