Soy Sauce Salad Dressing

This salad dressing is my go-to when I'm looking for something that's dead-simple, consistently delicious, fires on all cylinders (sweet, salty, sour, umami), and isn't creamy or too oily. It's great on plain lettuce or salad greens, or on a more complex salad. It was perfect with some greens and chopped cucumbers the other day. Perhaps what I love the most is that I almost always have the ingredients on hand and everything except the garlic is is a 1:1:1:1 ratio (by volume) so it is super easy to remember. Thank you to Patty for opening my eyes to soy sauce-based dressing a couple years ago and apologies that it took me so long to post this!

Soy Sauce Salad Dressing
From Food.com

Ingredients 

• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced

Directions

Combine all ingredients and allow to stand or refrigerate for at least 10 minutes, ideally longer, before using. 

Kale Pizza Crust

In an effort to push the limits of alternative pizza crusts (see here and here) I decided to try a crust made from greens - mostly kale, but also some beet greens (since that's what was in the fridge). I used a whole bunch of curly kale and a bunch of beet greens, which coincidentally cooked down to two packed cups of greens after I squeezed and chopped them (the amount the recipe calls for). I do wonder about retaining a bit more moisture in the greens and adding some salt and additional seasonings. The crust was harder to shape than the other versions and didn't seem to bind as well. I also wonder if I chopped the greens too small so that they didn't wrap around the other ingredients and each other and help the crust hold together, like the grated veggies in the original. I also only baked it for 20 minutes and definitely didn't flip it. 

While we have taken to eating our squash/kohlrabi/daikon/salad turnip crusts with just marinara sauce, this crust as-written is a bit bland, so may be better topped with some flavorful items. 

I will also note that I have most been enjoying combinations of vegetables in these crusts, like 50/50 squash/kohlrabi. Right now I have a squash, kohlrabi, and kale crust in the oven (the amount of kale was small so I left it uncooked). I think the point is to definitely experiment with this concept; i's a quick and satisfying weeknight meal that doesn't weigh you down. 

Kale (or Greens) Pizza Crust (adapted from Recipe Girl)

Ingredients

• 1 CSA bunch curly kale, destemmed, and 1 CSA bunch beet greens, not destemmed
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp+ garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp+ onion powder
• 1/2 tsp+ dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp+ dried basil
• 1/2 tsp+ fennel seed
• Salt to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Place a small amount of water in a large pot with a lid. Heat over medium, then add the greens. Saute until wilted. Squeeze out excess water (see above for notes), then chop. Measure out about 2 cups of greens.
• Add the greens to a large mixing bowl and mix in all the ingredients above .
• Mix the crust batter well.
• Cover a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper.
• Spread the crust batter onto the parchment in a circle. It shouldn’t have any really thin spots, but it shouldn’t be thick, either. Even out the edges, don't leave them craggy. 
• Bake at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, checking to make sure it doesn't get too brown. 
• Remove crust and allow to cool before adding toppings (or just eat it as-is or with marinara sauce)
• If adding toppings turn the oven temperature up to 425ºF
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal
• Possible toppings include tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, smoked mozzarella cheese, sausage, onions, mushrooms, green bell pepper, garlic, garlic scapes, herbs (like basil, fennel, and oregano - added after baking if they are fresh), crushed red pepper and Frank’s Red Hot (added after baking), or whatever you like!
• After topping the pizza bake it on the prepared baking sheet at 425ºF for about 10 minutes. You may need to increase the oven temperature or turn the broiler on near the end of baking to brown the cheese
• Remove from oven and add herbs and other non-bake toppings

Quick-pickled Daikon/Turnip/Cucumber/? with "XO Sauce"

Power Vegetables, from Lucky Peach (RIP) came out last year. The book is all about preparing vegetables with maximum impact. One of my favorite lines, which speaks to cooks like me, is when author Peter Meehan is writing about key pantry items for cooking power vegetables. He launches into a generic primer on garlic as a member of the Allium genus, then stops short, indicating that anyone cooking from a book with plasma balls on the cover probably already knows what garlic is.

This recipe, from the ramen chef Ivan Orkin (the American guy who had a ramen restaurant in Japan and whose episode of Chef's Table was a breath of fresh air), fires on all cylinders. It's savory, sweet, salty, smoky and tangy, with great textural contrast from slightly crisp, but soft veggies, crunchy nuts, soft and chewy rice, and chewier dried shrimp. TRUST ME. It's rich, too. but you can use it sparingly (though not as sparingly as the ginger-scallion sauce).

Orkin says this is not a true XO sauce, but a taberu rayu. Semantics aside, it is delicious and unexpected.

The original calls for making it with daikon, but I made it with what was in the crisper drawer - a 50/50 mix of salad turnips and cucumbers (mine had thin skins so I didn't peel them). To julienne them I first cut them into thin slices, then stacked the slices and cut them into strips. It's a tad labor intensive, but also meditative (and effective!).

I have provided the original recipe below with notes about my modifications.

Daikon with XO Sauce
From Power Vegetables
Ingredients
Note: I halved the brine and it worked totally fine
Orkin also notes that this sauce would be great tossed into a pile of cold noodles.

• 2 cups rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 lb daikon radish, peeled and rinsed (Note: I used ~50/50 unpeeled thin-skinned cucumber and peeled salad turnips)
• XO Sauce 
• 1 cup canola oil  
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 3/4 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp. chipotle powder (or any smoky chili powder)
• 1 tbsp. dried baby shrimp, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. dried tiny scallops, roughly chopped (Note: I subbed an extra 1 tbsp. of the shrimp)
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds
• 3 tbsp. whole almonds, toasted and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fried garlic (a purchased product, akin to fried shallots or onions; optional) (note: I didn't use this)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. chopped garlic

Directions 

1. Combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and water in a medium pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Make sure the sugar and salt are dissolved, then remove from the heat and let the brine cool completely. 

2. Using a mandoline, slice the daikon into a fine julienne. (Note: I sliced the veggies with a knife, then stacked the slices and sliced again into a julienne.) Put the daikon in a bowl of cool water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and refill the bowl with cool water. Soak the daikon for another 10 minutes, then drain and rinse. Drain well. 

3. Place the daikon and cooled brine in a big bowl or large zip-top bag. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and as long as overnight. Drain well before serving.

4. Arrange the daikon in piles on 4 plates. Stir the XO sauce well, then top each mound of daikon with a few tablespoons of the XO. The oil from the XO will seep through the daikon and pool around the base of the plate. (Note: I served the veggies over my new obsession, short grain rice. I also drained as much oil from the XO as possible before using it by holding it in the spoon against the side of the jar).

XO Sauce

1. Combine the canola oil, sesame oil, onion, and flour in a high-sided pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the onion turns golden and "puffs," 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Add the chipotle powder, shrimp, scallops, sesame seeds, almonds, fried garlic (if using), soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Cook gently until the shrimp and scallops turn the deep golden color of the onions, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes: The sauce will be an oily alliance of little bits, many of which will have taken on the color of the chili powder. Remove from the heat and pour into a nonreactive container. (Note: I used a mason jar). Let cool completely before using. Keeps for weeks. 

The easiest way to make zoodles is also the best way to make zoodles

Maybe you already know this, but my mind was blown yesterday when I learned that the secret to the best and easiest squash or zucchini "noodles" is to not cook them. This is a technique that could mean, as it did for us, the difference between a satisfying and healthy homemade meal and something...else when you don't get into the kitchen until after 8:00 on a Monday night. All credit goes to Steve from Just Farmin' who gifted me some gorgeous zucchinis, patty pans, and cucumbers. He suggested that instead of cooking the noodles I should just leave them raw and top with hot pasta sauce. I have always steamed, roasted, or sauteed the squash, but this technique maintained their chewy texture instead of letting them get mushy and watery. Their flavor seemed milder, too. Jonathan, who has been a bit tired of this type of dish after I overdid it back in the summer 2008, gave them high marks. I used a vegetable peeler, but you could also spiralize them or just (very) thinly slice. We topped them with a few ravioli, leftover Italian chicken sausage, and Parmesan cheese, in addition to store-bought roasted garlic marinara sauce.

I recently spotlighted summer squash over here if you're looking for more ideas. All the recipes have appeared on this blog before, but you may enjoy seeing them all in one place and formatted a bit better. And don't forget the delicious summer squash au gratin when you need an impressive potluck dish or a delicious meal. Use the search bar for more ideas.

Ginger-Scallion Sauce

There's a little magic in this sauce, which is composed mostly of scallions and ginger, as the name suggests. The salt and fermented fish help make it a flavor powerhouse that I suspect you could pair with just about any vegetable, meat, grain, or combination thereof. We ate it first with roasted kohlrabi and rice and the next time with sautéed kale, rice, and an over-easy egg (awesome). This sauce is spicy, punchy, and it bites a little!  I'm sure you'll find lots of uses for it - if you can resist just eating it all with leftover rice.

By the way, I have been loving the short grain rice (sushi rice) lately (thanks, Jann!). You can buy small bags at just about any well-stocked grocery store or you can buy big bags at places like CAM. You soak it for 30 minutes before cooking it and then cook it as usual (in my experience it always takes less time to cook than the bag says). I love how it's glossy, sticky, and chewy, never mushy, grainy, or dry.

This recipe comes from Lucky Peach's (RIP) 101 Easy Asian Recipes, which I have mentioned it before. It's a tongue-in-cheek title for a totally serious cookbook. Like most things that come out of the Momofuku empire its dishes are bursting with flavor and ideas for accessible ways to tap into the flavors of some of our favorite cuisines from around the world. I'm excited to see what they do next.

Ginger-Scallion Sauce
Adapted from 101 Easy Asian Recipes 
Note that the amounts of scallions and ginger are adaptable. This is a bit spicy with ginger as written, but I think it works.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced/minced scallions
• 1/3 cup minced ginger
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce (I know it's a lot, just try it!) 
• 1 tsp. turbinado sugar
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and ginger and sauté for a minute or so. Remove from the heat and continue to stir until no longer sizzling.

Transfer the wilted scallions and ginger to a small bowl and season with the remaining ingredients. Use sparingly - a little goes a long way!