Sacramento Digs Gardening: Bok choy subs for spinach in this versatile egg dish

As with many greens, bok choy harvest seems to come all at once. Of course, it’s wonderful for stir fry, but what else can bok choy do?

Think of bok choy as two vegetables in one. Treat the stringy, crunchy stems like celery and the leafy tops like spinach. That realization opens up a lot of bok choy possibilities.

Washed bok choy leaves in a white colander — Bok choy leaves, washed and ready to use.

This recipe uses both the bok choy stems and the green tops. A versatile frittata variation, bok choy bake makes a delicious side dish or anytime eggy entree.

Sautéing the bok choy stems and greens before baking keeps this egg dish from becoming soggy.

Bok choy bake

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 cups bok choy (1 medium head)

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil plus more to prepare baking dish

1 cup onion, chopped

4 eggs

½ cup half and half (or ¼ cup cream and ¼ cup milk)

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

2 to 3 dashes Tabasco sauce

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter or grease 9-by-9-inch baking dish; set aside.

Prepare bok choy. Cut leaves from root and wash well, then pat dry. With a sharp knife or scissors, separate stems from leaves. Tear greens into large pieces; set aside. Chop stems crosswise.

White ceramic dish containing finished bok choy bake — Baked and golden, ready to serve.

Melt butter or heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped bok choy stems and chopped onion. Sauté until soft. Add bok choy greens to the pan, a handful at a time. Sauté, stirring often, until all the greens are limp and cooked, but still bright green, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add half and half or milk and cream. Stir in cheeses and Tabasco sauce. Add bok choy and onion mixture.

Pour egg mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown on top, about 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

RECIPE

A recipe for preparing delicious meals from the bounty of the garden.

Keywords:

recipe recipes Sacramento greens gardening winter vegetables vegetables produce management pak choi bok choy

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Flowers in My Back Yard Series

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Garden checklist for week of April 19

After this midweek storm, start getting serious about spring gardening. Flowers are blooming about three weeks ahead of schedule. That includes weeds!

* Get ready to swing into action in the vegetable garden – if you haven’t already. As nights warm up over 50 degrees, set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash; wait on pumpkins until May. Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Give citrus trees a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants. If leaves look yellow, your tree may need an iron boost -- apply some chelated iron fertilizer.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrition. Give shrubs and trees a slow-release fertilizer. Mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost, which helps the soil, but keep it a few inches away from trunks and stems.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com

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