This is my new favorite dressing. Period. I even managed to sneak a little flax oil into the mix, as the sesame flavor covers up the grassy/slightly fishy flavor of the flax pretty well.
Makes approx 3/4 cup of dressing, enough for 2 large salads.
The measurements for this recipe are a little loose, but it is hard to really mess it up. If you decide to use fresh ginger, make sure to add a little honey or brown sugar to sweeten things up a bit
a few pieces (approx 2-3 tablespoons) of candied ginger with syrup (recipe follows, but you can also use freshly grated or store-bought candied ginger)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons flax oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
about 1/4 cup water
Use an immersion blender or regular blender to make this recipe. Blend all ingredients except the sesame seeds. Adjust ingredients to taste. Thin with a little water if you like. Stir in sesame seeds at the end so that you don't end up with sesame puree.
FLANK STEAK, QUINOA, AND PEAR SALAD WITH SESAME-GINGER DRESSING
I had some leftover flank steak that I had marinated with a Korean BBQ sauce and seared on the grill. For a 2 person meal, I used:
6 ounces grilled flank steak, sliced thin
1 small head of green lettuce
a few handfuls of mizuna
1 ripe pear, sliced thin
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup red quinoa, simmered for 15 min with 2/3 cup water and a little salt
about 1/3 cup sesame-ginger dressing
CANDIED GINGER IN SYRUP
This is a great way to preserve ginger for later use. I always purchase more ginger root than I actually use and the poor rhizome sits around my crisper drawer getting more and more shriveled out and dejected looking. In a more inspired moment about 6 months ago, I made a nice jar of candied ginger in syrup that I finally am getting around to actually using.
The syrup is great in cocktails and lemonades. The ginger can be used in the dressing as above, chopped up in baked goods, or as a neat way to sweeten herbal teas.
There are really no measurements to this recipe, though the proportions may be helpful.
2 parts granulated sugar
1 part water
1 part ginger root, peeled and sliced thinly
Melt sugar and water together until a thick syrup forms. Add ginger and simmer for at least 30 minutes to infuse the syrup and to make sure the ginger gets cooked and sterilized to preserve it. Pour while hot into a sterilized glass jar and store in the fridge once cooled.
