Orange Fennel, Shiitake, and Bok Choy Salad

A while back, I posted this recipe for Orange Braised Fennel.  While I loved it, I felt it needed a little something more.  If you've read my blog at all, you might have noticed how much I love Asian dishes, salads, and especially bok choy.  So, I decided to braise my fennel with some shiitake mushrooms and serve it on a baby bok choy salad.  I have to say, it is my new FAVORITE salad to make.  Yummy!
 

Orange Fennel and Shiitake Mushrooms

*1 bulbs fennel, sliced about 1/4 in. thick slices

*couple handfuls shiitake mushrooms, sliced

*1Tbsp. sesame oil (can substitute olive oil or melted Earth Balance)

*1 c. freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)

*sea salt and freshly ground pepper

*1/4 cup dry white wine

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Lay fennel slices in skillet, cook, turning once, until browned (about 5 minutes per side).

Pour orange juice over fennel and add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil,  then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until fennel is tender (about 10 min.).  Add wine and continue cooking until fennel is very tender and sauce has thickened (about 10 minutes more).  Season with salt and pepper, as desired, and serve warm. 

Orange Fennel, Shiitake, and Bok Choy Salad
*1 large head baby bok choy, sliced on diagonal
*handful arugula (optional)
*orange fennel and shiitakes (from above) 
*3-4 scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
*1-2 tsp. black and/or white sesame seeds

Arrange bok choy on plate.  Spoon warm fennel and mushrooms over the bok choy.  Top with sliced scallions, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Note:  This recipe makes 2 large salads.  I usually make one warm salad, then package the next one for lunch the next day (it is delicious cold, as well as warm).

Garlic Shiitake and Bok Choy Salad with Spicy Orange Ginger Dressing

I had so much fun showing my friend Jacquie around the farmers' market this weekend.  We walked around and picked up some great stuff, gabbing mostly about how we can't wait for spring when there will be more produce for use to choose from.  I picked up some great organic shiitakes from Homestead Growers/Local Folks Foods.  I thought I might make some of Chef Chloe's garlic sesame soba noodles, but I just wasn't in the mood for a heavy noodle dish.  I decided to use some of the bok choy I got from Green B.E.A.N. and spruce up my bok choy salad (which is great, but is better for lunch, as it is pretty plain-and-simple).  I'm so glad I did, because the result was a great dinner salad!

Garlic Shiitake and Bok Choy Salad with Spicy Orange Ginger Dressing

Salad:

*1 Tbsp. sesame oil

*1 clove garlic, minced

*5-6 shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced into long strips

*1 Tbsp. orange juice

*dash tamari or soy sauce

*4-5 leaves bok choy, sliced

*3-4 green onions, sliced

*1 tsp. sesame seeds (black, white, or combo)

*Spicy Orange Ginger Dressing (see below)

Heat sesame oil in skillet; add garlic until fragrant.  Add mushrooms and sautée until soft and heated, then add orange juice and tamari/soy sauce.  Allow mushrooms to cook a few more minutes, until they have soaked up juice.

Plate the bok choy and top with sliced green onion, mushrooms, and garnish with sesame seeds.  Drizzle spicy orange ginger dressing over top.

Spicy Orange Ginger Dressing:

*1 large orange, juiced

*1/2 Tbsp. sesame oil

*1-2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce

*1/2 - 1 tsp. Vietnamese chili sauce

*1 tsp. minced fresh ginger

*dash cardamom

Whisk all ingredients together with fork or whisk.  Drizzle over Asian-style salad, like Garlic Shiitake and Bok Choy Salad).

Bok Choy Braised with Mushrooms - á la Green B.E.A.N. Delivery

If you are an Indy local and have not tried out Green B.E.A.N. delivery service, I highly recommend it.  I know I've raved about it before, but I just think this is a wonderful company.  I get fresh, local, and organic produce delivered to my door, and I can't tell you how many great things I've been exposed to because of this service.  I typically pick up most of my produce at the farmers' markets, but if I can't find something there, I may be able to get it from Green B.E.A.N.  Plus, they have some great grocery items available, as well as bulk items.  (P.S. If you're not in Indianapolis, Green B.E.A.N. also has a branch in Ohio, delivering around the Cincinnati area.)  Visit the Green B.E.A.N. website and sign up to receive a bin full of goodness.  Don't forget to let them know that I (Tabitha Shearer) sent you!

Each week, Green B.E.A.N. sends me an e-newsletter with new items, weekly sale items, information about their cooperating local companies, nutritional info about a featured produce item, and recipes.  They've had many tasty-looking recipes that I've really wanted to try.  This week's recipe:  Bok Choy Braised with Mushrooms!  

It seems like fate, as I have some bok choy AND some local/organic shitake mushrooms in my refrigerator.  I picked them up at the IWFM (Indy Winter Farmers Market) this past Saturday, and because of my emergency wisdom tooth extraction, I have not cooked anything at all this week. I need to use those beautiful babies up very soon, before they are unusable!  I was going to make Chef Chloe's garlic sesame soba noodles, but after all the crap I've been eating (using my surgery and all the meds as an excuse), I don't need noodles.  I think this will be just the thing!  Wanted to share it with you all...even though it's not my own recipe.

Bok Choy Braised with Mushrooms

*2 to 3 baby bok choy heads (1 ½ to 1 ¾ pounds), washed, leaves and stems separated

*2 tablespoons peanut oil

*2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press

*1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

*1 cup vegetable broth

*1 cup mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick

*1 teaspoon rice vinegar

 

Prepare the bok choy by cutting each white stalk in half lengthwise and then crosswise into ¼ inch slices.  Stack the leafy greens and then slice them crosswise into ½ inch strips.  Keep the sliced stalks and leaves separate.

Heat large nonstick skillet over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.  Add oil, swirl to coat pan bottom.  Add bok choy stalks and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add bok choy greens, broth, mushrooms, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring twice, until bok choy is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove cover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until excess liquid evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes (bok choy should be moist but not soupy).  Stir in rice vinegar and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper; serve immediately.  Serves 4

Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms with Apple and Spinach

*1/2 c. quinoa, cooked
*2-3 large portabello caps
*1 Tbsp. olive oil
*1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1 small red pepper, roughly chopped
*1/2-1 apple (slightly tart), roughly chopped
*1 tsp. dried thyme
*sea salt/pepper to taste
*1-2 handfuls baby spinach

Preheat oven to 400. Wipe mushroom caps and brush lightly with olive oil. Warm in oven about 5 min.

Heat oil in skillet on medium heat; add onions, garlic, and red pepper and sautée until onions are translucent. Add quinoa and cook until heated through. Mix in apple, thyme, and spinach, then season with salt/pepper.

Fill portabello caps with stuffing then drizzle with a bit of olive oil; season with salt/pepper if desired. Place in oven until top is slightly golden.

Savory Quinoa-Stuffed Mushrooms

-6 med. baby bella mushrooms (or 2-3 regular portabella mushrooms), whole
-1/2 c. quinoa (dry)
-2 Tbsp. olive oil
-1/2 med. onion, chopped
-1/2 med. green bell pepper, chopped
-2 large cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
-salt and ground pepper to taste
-paprika

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare quinoa according to box directions.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet. Saute onions and bell peppers until slightly tender; add garlic and cook until onions and peppers are translucent and tender. Stir in cooked quinoa, cumin, salt and pepper.

Stuff mushrooms and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and additional salt/pepper if desired; wrap mushrooms for baking. Bake until heated through and mostly tender (about 15 min.). Unwrap mushrooms and bake another 5-10 min. (until top is browned and slightly crisp).