Pok choi with blue cheese

Our first two shares from New Roots this year included beautiful heads of pok choi (which looks to me like bok choy, but I am assured it's a different variety). They work well in just about any stir fry, but here's a nice twist given that Vidalia onions are in season now too.

Heat 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a wok. Add 2-4 chopped sweet onions (Vidalia is a great choice if available), depending on size. You want 3-4 cups onion total.

Cut the root end off the pok choi, clean the stems as necessary, and chop the stems up to where the dark green leaves begin to get substantial.

Sauté the onions and pok choi stems over high heat for about 5 minutes, then turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook until tender, stirring often, about another 10-12 minutes.

While they're cooking, chop the green leaves coarsely, and add when the onions and stems are tender. Sprinkle with salt, and stir frequently.

When the greens are completely wilted, add ½ to 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (Gorgonzola is great here). Continue to cook a few more minutes, until the cheese melts into the vegetables.

Serve over cooked rice, bulgur, or another grain you like.

Rice Salad

This is a great dish for a picnic.
Vegan.

Cook one cup of rice (proportions depend on the variety of rice, but generally two cups water to one cup rice; bring water to a boil, add rice, simmer until water is absorbed). Cool. The rice may be refrigerated in a covered container if you plan to make the salad later.

For the dressing, put a generous tablespoon basil pesto in a small bowl. Blend in ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Blend in about 1/8 cup lemon juice. Mix well with the rice (I use a 12 cup covered bowl).

Add ingredients as you like. A particularly well-received rice salad included

• ½ cup snow peas (string removed, cut into ½ inch segments)
• ½ cup green beans (ends removed, cut into ½ inch segments)
• ½ pint grape tomatoes
• ½ cup pitted Calamata olives
• ¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
• 6 chopped scallion stalks
• 1 cup cooked white beans*

Refrigerate until serving.

Before serving, sprinkle on ¼-½ cup toasted peanuts (so they don't absorb the dressing ahead of time. If available, garnish with flowers from chive plants. (The flowers are edible, and have a peppery taste.)

*When I cook white beans for salads, after soaking and rinsing them, I often use a cup or so of the liquid from Calamata olives, capers, marinated red peppers, or something similar as the liquid to cook the beans in, adding additional water as necessary for the cooking.

A note about scallions (some call them green onions): If you trim to slightly above the white part on the bottom, you may plant that stem end and the scallions will grow back. I continue to harvest them when they have grown 6-8 inches. In our garden, they survived the winter and continue to grow.