Gingery Chicken and Bok Choy with Spicy Edamame Salad

I have so many good things to say about my trip to Baltimore this past week, but I am still frantically trying to get caught up at work from being out of the office for three whole days and yet MEF is pissin' and moanin' that I haven't updated my blog yet. So, I am going to start with food!

I promised my sister that I would cook for her while I was out there, and while I intended to cook much more than I did, this meal was definitely a keeper. The chicken recipe came from Rachel Ray’s website, and the Edamame Salad recipe I found on Tastespotting (but the link to it isn't working anymore).
I have been aching to try these recipes since I came across them, but I really wanted to use the baby bok choy and it isn’t really something that I can get locally, so I saved it for the trip when I knew I could get to a nice Asian market. This recipe turned out SO tasty, and even as leftovers, we inhaled the couscous and edamame all mixed together. I hope you enjoy it!

One-Pot Ginger Chicken, Bok Choy and Couscous 1/2 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons brown sugar1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
One 1 1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and halved
Salt
One 10-ounce box plain couscous

1 1/4 pounds baby bok choy, halved lengthwise and rinsed

1. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and ginger; stir in half the scallion pieces. Add the chicken to the marinade, turning to coat. Let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Line a footed metal colander with 2 layers of damp cheesecloth, allowing 2 inches of overhang. Place in a pot and add enough water to just reach the colander bottom. Bring to a simmer; have a small pot of boiling water on the side.

3. Pour the couscous into the colander. Place the chicken thighs on top in a single layer, pressing up the sides of the colander, if necessary; reserve the marinade. Cover and steam, adding more hot water as needed, until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the reserved marinade until thickened, about 4 minutes; strain.

5. When the chicken is almost done, scatter the bok choy on top and steam for 3 minutes. Transfer the bok choy and chicken to a platter, drizzle with the marinade and top with the other half of the sliced scallions. Stir any remaining scallions into the couscous and serve with the chicken.
Sweet & Spicy Edamame Salad

1 cup fresh/frozen shelled edamame (soy beans)

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1-2 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1-2 tsp toasted sesame seeds (we didn’t have any, so we left them out)

1/4 cup flaked almonds (we only had whole almonds, so we chopped and toasted them)

1-2 spring onions, thinly sliced on a bias

1 tsp chili flake (this is the red flaked chili you get in Asian markets, NOT chili powder)

1. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and season with a generous pinch of salt, then add the edamame and boil for 3-5 minutes, or till tender. Rinse in cold water, then drain well.

**we had the shelled, pre-cooked edamame and they worked just fine. We just warmed them up in the microwave instead of boiling them before adding the sauce.

2. Put the warm beans in a small bowl, then add the salt, sugar, sesame seeds and vinegar and toss to combine. Give this a stir, then taste. Add the chili flakes and half the sesame oil, toss and taste again, and if it’s OK now, add in the spring onion and flaked almonds and toss once more to combine before serving.

3. Serve immediately, but it can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week - though the almonds can get a little soft in the moisture.