French Friday’s with Dorie – Haiku!
I see it again
packed nicely, four to a box
how does one eat it?
First kiss it with mint
huddle with peas, mint, garlic
Steam it in foil
slide in the oven
fifteen minutes to heaven
open and enjoy
Baby Bok Choy en Papillote with Snow Peas and Garlic
Each time The Doristas have been asked to cook en papillote for French Friday’s with Dorie I end up walking away wondering why the heck I don’t cook utilizing it more often? It happened again with this Baby Bok Choy en Papillote. What can be easier than cooking foods by wrapping them with some seasonings in foil (or parchment) and baking them undisturbed in the oven for a short bit? ( Salmon and Tomatoes en Papillote is still a house favorite and the Brown Sugar Squash and Brussels Sprouts adventure clearly demonstrated that any type of vegetable could be cooked up to good effect with a packet of foil.
But now the Dorista universe lets out a collective breath of awareness as we are presented with a way to cook that baby bok choy we have all seen in the produce case during our visits to Trader Joes. I’ve been seeing baby bok choy there in the environmentally unfriendly four-pack for years now, always wondering what people did with them.
They may not be wrapping them in foil like we just did but now that I know about it I’ll be buying more to try out other possible flavor/vegetable combinations to go with what mahi mahi steak or skinless chicken breast I also picked up after work.
Master the technique and the combinations are endless. My adaptation here substitutes snow peas for sugar snaps and adds a splash of juice for more citrus flavor. Read Dorie's recipe here.
This is what you will need:
- 12 sugar snap peas
- 2 baby bok choy
- 6 spring onions or scallions, trimmed to white and light green, halved if large enough.
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
- zest of 1/2 small orange (or lemon)
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 2 mint sprigs plus more minced for garnish
- salt and pepper
This is how you make it:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and center a rack. Cut two 12-inch squares of aluminum foil or parchment, and have a baking sheet at hand.
- Quarter the bok choy length wise and add to a bowl with the onions. Trim points of snow peas if desired amd add to the bowi. Thinly slice the garlic and toss into the bowl. Zest the orange (or lemon if using) into long thin strips and add to bowl as well.
- Add the olive oil, mint sprigs, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to mix.
- Divide the mixture onto each square of foil or parchment. This is easier to do if the vegetables are all lying in the same direction. GIve a quick squeeze of orange juice to each pile of vegetables and then seal each packets.
- Put the packets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until the bok choy is tender. Carefully open a packet and poke a piece with a tip of a knife to test.
- Serve in the packet at the table or plate and serve immediately.
- Serve with minced fresh mint.
I agree – this was easy and delicious. I often chop up baby bok choy and toss it into stir fry.
I could only find adult bok choy, which was a bit clunky to fit into a pouch. The baby stuff looks much more manageable. Looks good!
OK, maybe I had an off day. I was not impressed (and you-know-who steered clear!).
This was my first time cooking with bok choy. And I think that this recipe was better than any bok choy I’ve ever had in a restaurant. Way to go Dorie. I can confirm that it’s delicious with fish.
Mee too. I enjoyed the bitterness of it really. I’ll make it again for certain.
En papillote. I remember when I first heard the term way back in the early eighties. And weren’t we all impressed. I also remember saying that it seemed to me that foil would be a great substitute. Of course the teacher said “Mais non, Adri. Not le foil” It must be le parchment” Oy. All that folding and pleating and careful tucking was a hassle but it did pay off flavor-wise, and granted, the parchment did have a classier look than the foil. On the other hand, the foil was so much less hassle, and it sealed tightly. What ever one uses, it is a fab way to cook, and like you, when I do employ this method, I always think that I ought to use it more often. I think I like it best for fish. It’ so darn easy to clean up. This combo sounds great. Confession – I’ve had those same thoughts while gazing at the baby bok choy at Trader Joe’s.
I first learned it in Boy Scouts so my instructor did not have the captivating accent that yours did Adri!
The only en pappilote I’ve ever done was a grouper over braised fennel with basil. It was great and right out of Cordon Bleu at Home. Just yesterday, I updated the post. Now I see this and I wonder like you, why don’t I do this more often. And, why don’t I ever make bok choy? It’s Spring looking yet comforting at same time when you unwrap the paper.
Finding the poetry in vegetables. You never cease to amaze. xo
The feeling is mutual my dear.
I don’t like not seeing the veggies as they cook… also, all those vegetables cook at different speeds so I chose the out of papillote route this week 😉
We cook so many things out of easy view and based on time and instinct this is just one more IMHO. Aren’t we supposed to blindly trust Dorie?
Loved the haiku, you are very creative.
Yummy!
You can say that again. And again!
No bok choy for me this week , baby or otherwise. I am off to Athens for the Easter holidays and I will be eating baby lamb “en spit” for the rest few days! But it looks really nice Trevor so maybe when I am back I might try it…(notice the very hypothetical syntax of this sentence 🙂 🙂 )
Happy holidays!
Great haiku. These veggies were delicious:)
Bok choy wrapped in foil
So much easier to make
Less to clean up, no?
Snap peas, sugar peas?
It’s all good when on the plate.
Move over, Brussels sprouts.
Okay, so I really wouldn’t dispense with Brussels sprouts, but this was an unexpectedly enjoyable combination. Foil is one of my favorite ways to cook – epsecially when my willingness to clean up is running flat.
These vegetables look great and I’m pretty sure I could eat right off the baking paper and doing dishes would involve washing a fork.
I always wonder why I don’t remember to make things in foil packets in between Dorie en papillote selections. Lovely packets. Is your foil lined or did you put parchment inside the foil for a double papillote?
Betsy – this is “Martha Wrap” … aluminum and parchment wedded together. It is perfect for en papillote and covering casseroles and stuff when they cook so the foil doesn’t stick. I know people who prefer it because they don’t like aluminum touching their food for health reasons. I was given a roll a long time ago and use it only for this kind of thing. I’ve not seen it in stores…only Amazon…and not qualifying for Prime so I am stingy with it.
Masculine sexy is what I use to describe your pictures! We should cook vegetables this way more often!
These were fun to make, but I agree, the salmon was more of a favorite – thanks for reminding me! Maybe they will all get thrown together with some ginger and soy this week…
a brilliantly simple post for a brilliantly simple side dish. Lovely.
Ha! Love that they were in an environmentally-unsafe package. Great post!
Well, I don’t really think that is an admirable quality but I”m glad you love it.
I’ve always worried that pouch cooking can be bland, but as long as their are aromatics like the mint, and orange zest in this one I guess it does turn out alright.
I love the bright green color of these veggies – so fresh and springy! I have the same question as Betsy about whether you lined the foil with parchment. My husband has an aversion to foil touching his food, and lining it with parchment seems like a good solution.
All Hail Queen Martha! http://www.amazon.com/Martha-Wrap-Foil-Parchment-1/dp/B005HNXDJ0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
Thanks, I think I will try some!
Why didn’t I think of using Martha Foil. It looked très chic à la Stewart and sorta tacky with strictly tinfoil. Nice touch. I’m with you about steaming. I just don’t thinkaboutit. I’d like to try this with the Asian spices and flavorings that Dorie suggested also. I am currently reading Deborah Madison’s “Vegetable Literacy” cover-to-cover because it’s a fun read. So many unique vegetables to be wrapped in a packet and steamed. Nice post.
I see Martha Wrap! I personally adore Martha Wrap, so clever and useful.
Lovely bok choy en papillote – I’m thinking of trying it on the grill next time.
I’ve missed your haiku
Parchment is on my to-do
I think I’ll do stew?
GREG
Stew is coming up
Its simmering as we speak
waiting to publish.
Stew en Papillote?
Poured in an envelope?
Methinks it will leak.
GREG