Red Bok Choy & Cucumber Salad + Strawberry & Cilantro Vinaigrette

What do you do at the first market of the growing season? I had the butterflies, like first day of school; I got to see all my regular farmers, artisanal producers and customers. And since it’s still early in the season, I knew the recipe would be super simple, showcasing early greens that Dick’s Market Garden would have.

He had a bounty of spinach, collards, chard, bok choy, and even red bok choy. I’d never cooked with or even seen red bok choy, so I knew that is what would become the cornerstone of the salad I built. In addition, I grabbed a green house cucumber and some cilantro, which took care of my crunch and aromatics.

Next, at Kelly’s Farm Stand, I spotted the juiciest and jewel-like strawberries, inspiring me to use them in a simple herbaceous vinaigrette. Treating each ingredient simply, resulted in a refreshing, crunchy, sweet and tangy salad~ the taste of early summer in each bite.

Serve chilled as a side salad; swap the bok choy with your favorite greens and reduce a step of wilting down the greens, or even as a salsa over your favorite summer protein.

Serves Approx. 4

1 bunch red bok choy
1 long English/greenhouse cucumber
5-8 stalks of cilantro
8-10 strawberries
½ clove of garlic
1 tsp. oil
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. organic agave
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup + a splash rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash and cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and reserve in a bowl
2. Thoroughly rinse and wash the bok choy 2-3 times to get all the grit out
3. Trim the ends off and rough chop the bok choy
4. Set a pan to heat with the 1 tsp. Of oil while you ready the greens
5. When the oil is hot, drop in the bok choy and minced garlic, stir adding a pinch of salt and a couple of twists of black pepper until the greens wilt but not completely cook down ~ about 7-8 minutes ~ when done, leave to cool off before adding to the salad
6. While the greens are cooking down, clean and finely chop the cilantro and dice the strawberries
7. Scrape all the herbs and berries into a bowl and add in all the dressing ingredients
8. Whisk the dressing, adjusting the salt, pepper and acid as per taste
9. Once cooled off, add the bok choy to the bowl with cucumbers, and stir in the vinaigrette