The first time I ate roasted baby bok choy I immediately thought, “What on earth took me so long?” Just like its roast-happy cruciferous cousins—cabbage, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli—baby bok choy reacts magically to a slick of oil, a showering of salt, and a quick visit to a hot oven. The plump base turns tender while retaining a bit of bite. And the delicate leaves soften into velvet with a hint of kale-chip crispness around the edges.
I’m not exaggerating when I suggest I could make a meal out of roasted baby bok choy alone. But when I manage to hold back from snagging too many straight from the oven, they are delightful paired with steak. On particularly busy weekdays, I take 10 minutes in the morning (or occasionally the night before) to settle the steak in a quick, garlicky marinade before popping it in the fridge. Sometimes I also halve the bok choy and toss them in a large Tupperware so dinner time is simply a matter of preheating the oven and arranging everything on a sheet pan.
In the few moments of downtime while everything is roasting and broiling away, well honestly, I pour a glass of wine. But recently, I also started stirring up a batch of lemony miso butter. The mix of softened butter, umami-packed miso, and bright lemon zest is exactly as delicious as the sum of its parts, and it transforms the already elevated weeknight meal (see: roasted baby bok choy) into a showstopper.
You may notice that this recipe makes more miso butter than one could conceivably dollop onto a single dinner. That leftover butter stores well in the fridge and enhances everything it touches, from grilled fish and pasta to warm biscuits and popcorn. As for the baby bok choy, I can guarantee that leftovers won’t be an issue.
How to Make It
Stir together butter, miso paste, and lemon zest in a medium bowl until combined. Let stand at room temperature at least 20 minutes. (Mixture can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.)
Whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small baking dish. Add steak, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours, flipping steak once or twice to ensure even coverage.
Preheat oven to broil with oven rack 8 inches from heat source. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Rub with 1 tablespoon lemon-miso butter. Place steak on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Broil 6 minutes. Flip steak; broil 5 to 6 minutes for medium-rare (depending on thickness of the steak) or until a meat thermometer registers 130°F. Place steak on a cutting board. Dollop steak with 2 tablespoons lemon-miso butter. Let meat rest 10 minutes, then thinly slice the meat against the grain, and transfer to a serving platter.
While steak rests, heat oven to 425°F. Place bok choy in a large bowl, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and season with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to coat. Arrange bok choy in a single layer, cut sides down, on hot baking sheet. Roast until stems are crisp-tender and leaves are browned and crisp at edges, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer bok choy to platter with steak. Serve remaining lemon-miso butter on the side.