Enticing Baby Bok Choy Smothered in Exquisite Avocado Sauce

Despite being a self-taught cook, I decided a long time ago that vegetables are a little better when you put in some extra TLC from the beginning of their cooking process. And I would like you to experience what that extra little step will do to your dinner too. A bonus is that you won't even need any sauces, you can plate the vegetables, and they will taste amazing on their own. However, I did include a sauce...for that extra “wow” factor.

Coconut Seafood Infusion Recipe by SteampunkyElf -Face it, you want to go to a 4-star restaurant that serves up elaborate dishes...but that is not very budget-friendly. Especially if you want to bring your loved one to a posh restaurant for a special occasion. But you don't have to worry; I have the answer to your dilemma.

You will need a vegetable steaming pot, a steaming basket, a blender, and assorted cutlery for chopping, tongs, and a sauce spoon for this recipe. -

Ingredients for making Enticing Steamed the Bok Choy:

6 Baby Bok Choy Heads
1 Tablespoon of Freshly Chopped Shallots
1 Teaspoon of Freshly Chopped Ginger Root
1 Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon of Freshly Ground Sea Salt
1 small clove of Garlic minced
1/8 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients for making Exquisite Avocado Sauce:

1 Large Avocado, cut in half, and pitted
1 Large Garlic Clove, roughly chopped
1 Teaspoon of Fresh Ginger, skin removed, and sliced
¼ Cup Shallots, roughly chopped
¼ Cup of Diluted Black Truffle Oil
¼ Cup EVOO
¼ Cup Unsweetened Soy Milk
¼ Cup Water
1/8 Cup White Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A pinch of Lime Zest

Directions to make Enticing Steamed Baby Bok Choy:

1. Rinse off the Baby Bok Choy heads to remove any debris or pesticides on them.
   Fill up your steaming pot with just enough water to steam the vegetables in, without the water submerging the steaming basket. Once that level of water is correct, place the steaming basket to the side.
2. Roughly chop up 1 Tablespoon of Shallots, 1 Teaspoon of Ginger (no need to remove the skin), and 1 Small Garlic Clove (skin removed) and add to the water in the steaming pot. Also, add in 1/8
3. Cup of White Balsamic Vinegar, 1 Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper, and ½ Teaspoon of Freshly Ground Sea Salt.
4. Cut the ends off of the roots of the Baby Bok Choy*
5. Place the steaming basket into the water, and put the Baby Bok Choy leaves on top.
6. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil.
7. Once the water has boiled, reduce heat to simmer on a low setting for approximately 20 minutes. While the Baby Bok Choy is steaming, you can begin making the sauce.

Directions for the Exquisite Avocado Sauce:

1. Using a chef's knife, slice the avocado in half and twist to separate the two halves. Carefully remove the large seed.
2. Using a spoon, remove the meat of the Avocado and place it inside a blender.
3. Add in all the rest of the ingredients for making the sauce.
4. Pulse the ingredients in the blender until they begin to look smooth, then use the blending setting until the mixture is smooth.
5. Set aside until the Baby Bok Choy leaves are finished steaming.
6. Using tongs, position portions of the steamed Baby Bok Choy on each plate being served.
7. Using a spoon, drizzle the Avocado Sauce on top of the Baby Bok Choy. The heat from the steamed vegetables will warm up the room temperature sauce.

The process of cooking this way is not only easy, but it is also a perfect way to infuse flavor through whatever you are steaming. Unlike grilling or baking, the steam permeates the vegetables with the spices you put into the water. And when you take them out and bite into one, you can taste the abundance of spices in each bite, savoring the flavor of the vegetables along with the added TLC. And once you drizzle on the sauce, which compliments the flavorsome Baby Bok Choy, it's like an adventure for your taste buds. I made this vegetable dish to compliment my Signature Coconut Seafood Infusion Recipe, so feel free to do the same. And as always, I hope that you have a scrumptious culinary experience!

*I kept the roots of the Baby Bok Choy so I can use them later when making broth from scratch. It is a wonderful way to use all parts of an ingredient, so there is no food waste.