I have been on a quest to get more people eating bok choy raw.

Just about every day from April through October, I am working in the field either at my own farm, Garen’s Greens, or at my day job at Riverside Farm. Summer days are long and busy and I usually find myself eating whatever is in front of me that day, straight from the field. I love growing bok choy, but more importantly I love to eat bok choy.

After experimenting with different bok choy salads—one being so simple it was just bok choy, olive oil, and salt—I decided to take some of my favorite flavors and textures and mix them together in an Asian salad. This salad is especially enticing in the height of cucumber season when crisp slicing cukes are available. But it is equally enticing when fresh ginger is available at the farmers’ market from Wake Robin Farm.

Asian Bok Choy Salad
1 lb. bok choy
1 cucumber
½ cup scallions
½ red pepper
1 carrot
2 tbsp. ginger
1 small garlic clove, crushed
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cilantro
1 tbsp honey
3-4 limes, juiced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Optional: hot chiles, peanuts to garnish

Slice bok choy, cucumber, scallions, red pepper and carrot into thin slices, grate ginger, crush garlic in a garlic press, then mix together in a big bowl. Separately, mix the dressing with the remaining ingredients. Toss with vegetables in bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes, in refrigerator if you like it served cold. Serves up to six.

Garen Heller has been raising garlic, greens and many other vegetables on the Seacoast for more than 15 years, selling Garen’s Greens through CSAs, farm stands, farmers’ markets, and fine restaurants.