Thursday, August 13, 2009

What's for dinner? Asian Crunch Salad



My husband and I eat a lot of salads but "a lot" refers to the quantity of green leaves we consumer, rather than the variation in the type of salad we enjoy at home.

Balsamic vinaigrette with mustard and/or honey, red wine vinegar with lemon juice and white wine vinegar with mustard and yogurt. That's about the extent of our dressing choices. Toppings vary just as little. You'll find red onions, dried cranberries, goat or feta cheese and apples.

This week I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and try my hand at an 'Asian Crunch Salad' that I spotted on fresh365.

Oh my was it good. Fresh, crunchy, healthy, packed full of lovely greens such as snow peas - it's a total keeper. In fact, I've inducted it into our Salad Hall of Fame, which really just means we'll now be eating it at least once a week :)

Before sharing the recipe, I should note that I forgot to pick up chow mein noodles while grocery shopping but the toasted almonds ended up being wonderful in the salad. That being said, chow mein noodles have been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. I think both would be awesome together if you really want to pack a mean crunch.

Asian Crunch Salad
serves 4

1/2 lb snow peas
4 c cabbage, cut into long, thin strips
4 c romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 c mandarian orange segments
1/8 c soy sauce
1/8 c fresh lemon juice (apx 1 lemon)
1/2 T white vinegar
1/2 T Asian sesame oil
1/8 c vegetable oil
1 T sugar (or agave nectar)
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
4 scallions, chopped
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted (or chow mein noodles)
2 T sesame seeds, toasted

Directions
Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add snow peas and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Drain well. Place in a large bowl and add cabbage, lettuce, oranges, scallions and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, sesame oil, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add to salad and toss well. To serve, sprinkle with sesame seeds and almonds or chow mein noodles.


(Images via fresh365)

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