Spicy Green Salad with Soy & Roasted Garlic Dressing
Piquant greens, such as mizuna and red mustard, are mellowed with a sweet-and-savory dressing that includes a whole head of roasted garlic. Add a skewer of grilled shrimp or teriyaki beef to make it a main course. To soften the leaves, heat the dressing just before serving and pour over the greens.
From EatingWell: March/April 2009
Yield: 4 servings, about 1 cup each
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 head garlic
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon plus pinch of salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 small clove garlic
- 2 cups baby mizuna, baby kale or Asian salad mix
- 2 cups baby red mustard greens, tatsoi or watercress, any tough stems removed
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (see Tip)
Preparation
- To prepare dressing: Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Rub excess papery skin off garlic head without separating cloves. Slice the tip off, exposing the ends of the cloves. Place the garlic head on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and wrap into a package. Put in a baking dish and bake until the garlic is very soft, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Unwrap and let cool slightly. Increase oven temperature to 450°F.
- Squeeze the garlic pulp into a blender or food processor (discard the skins). Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce; blend or process until smooth. Season with pepper.
- To prepare salad: Toss asparagus with 2 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, season a wooden salad bowl by rubbing with 1/2 clove garlic and a pinch of salt. Chop the garlic and add to the bowl along with all the greens. (If leaves are large, tear them into bite-size pieces first.) Pour 1/4 cup of the dressing over the greens. (Cover and refrigerate the remaining 1/2 cup dressing for up to 3 days.) Sprinkle the salad with sesame seeds and the asparagus; toss and serve.
- Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the dressing for up to 3 days.
- Tip: To toast sesame seeds, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
Nutrition Per serving:
139 calories; 11 g fat (1 g sat, 7 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 4 g fiber; 258 mg sodium; 413 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (170% daily value), Vitamin C (110% dv), Folate (37% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 2 fat