Lemony Grilled Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) - Recipe

Lemony Grilled Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)

• The Korean-French cuisine of chefs Seif Cherchi and Rachel Yang have made a huge impact on Seattle food culture. At Joule, they knocked my socks off with a dish of Chinese broccoli tossed with chermoula and grilled. My variation uses kochujang (a Korean chile paste), which blends beautifully with the flavor of fresh lemons.
• If you aren’t able to grill, you can also use a grill pan or your broiler to cook these greens. If possible, use the optional smoked salt to bring some of those smoky flavors in.
• Gai lan is widely available at Asian markets. It has a stem about the thickness of asparagus, which makes it perfect for grilling, tasty leaves that will crisp up on the grill, and small budding tops that resemble American broccoli. Be sure to get it scrupulously dry before tossing with the sauce to avoid unpleasant dilution. If you can’t find gai lan, broccolini makes a fine substitute.
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons kochujang
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked salt or Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• several grinds black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches gai lan (Chinese broccoli) (or broccolini), washed and thoroughly dried
• 1 lemon, sliced very thin (1/16”), ends discarded

1. Preheat grill, grill pan, or broiler. If using the broiler, set the top rack about 4 inches below the heat source.
2. In a bowl large enough to eventually use for dressing the gai lan, whisk together the lemon juice and kochujang, then whisk in the olive oil, sesame oil, salt, sugar, black pepper, garlic, and shallot. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should be intensely flavored.
3. Add the gai lan and thinly sliced lemon and toss to generously coat.
4. Place the gai lan and lemons perpendicular to the grate of the grill, or on a rimmed sheet pan if using the broiler. Cook, turning just once or twice, until starting to brown in spots, about 12 minutes. You should be able to pierce the stems without too much resistance from a knife, but they will be distinctly crisp-tender, not fully tender. Season with a bit more salt and pepper and serve immediately.