Sesame Pea Shoot Salad Food

SESAME PEA-SHOOT SALAD

Steps:

• In a kettle of boiling salted water cook sugar snap peas 2 minutes. Add snow and green peas and cook 1 minute. Drain peas in a colander and rinse in cold water. Pat dry on paper towels.
• In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, oil, sesame seeds, sugar, and soy sauce until sugar is dissolved.
• In a bowl toss pea shoots and peas with dressing.

SESAME SNAP PEA-CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, add the chicken and enough cold water to cover it by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the water begins to boil, lower heat immediately to a gentle simmer, cover partially with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. (Monitor that the bubbles never get too big; lower heat if so.) Turn off the heat, cover completely with lid, and leave on the stovetop for another 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the sugar snap peas: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it begins to boil, set a bowl of ice water next to the stovetop. Drop sugar snap peas into boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, 30 to 45 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sugar snap peas to the ice water to cool completely. Drain well and pat dry on a clean dish towel in a single layer.
• Transfer sugar snap peas to a cutting board and trim the tips, if needed, then slice lengthwise into thirds on a slight diagonal. Transfer to a large bowl or lidded container, and refrigerate.
• Prepare the dressing: In a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the sesame seeds, leaving some whole. In a small bowl, combine ground sesame seeds, mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until smooth.
• Set a bowl of ice water next to the stovetop. Transfer the chicken to the ice water to cool completely. When chicken is cool enough to handle, pat dry, then finely shred the meat using your fingers. The shreds should be similar in size to the cut sugar snap peas.
• Add the shredded chicken and all of the dressing to the chilled snap peas; toss gently until coated. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

PEPPER CRUSTED TUNA, MUSTARD SAUCE AND A PEA SHOOT SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the Tuna -- First, remove to the counter so the tuna can warm up a bit. You don't want to cook with icy cold tuna. It should be slightly room temperature.
• Dressing -- In a small measuring cup or bowl, mix the the mustard, soy sauce, ginger, shallots, and lime juice and then slowly whisk in the oil to slightly emulsify and make it lightly and creamy. Set aside.
• Coating the Tuna -- In your small food processor, lightly grind up the peppercorns, not fine ground, rough cracked and add to the salt and sesame seeds. Add this mixture to a small plate. Now lightly brush (don't soak the fish, just a light coating) one side of the tuna with oil and press into the pepper mixture and then place on a plate and baking sheet lined with was paper or parchment so it doesn't stick. Then do the same thing to the other side. The oil just helps the pepper coating to stick.
• Saute -- I prefer cast iron for this, but if not, a large saute pan (NO NON-STICK) for this. Heat up to medium high to high heat and add the oil.
• Then saute the tuna on each side for just 2 minutes (less depending on the thickness). You want the tuna medium rare. The top and bottom should have about 1/4" of opaque color which means the outside edges will be done, but the inside still rare but warm. This also depends on how thick your steak is.
• Salad -- As the tuna cooks. Just mix the pea sprouts or micro greens in a large bowl with the red onion. Add just 1 teaspoon of the dressing and toss lightly. Add 1 1/2-2 cups of the salad to each of the 4 plates.
• Plate -- Once the tuna is done, serve each steak on top of the bed of greens. Drizzle with a little of the remaining dressing and serve any extra on the side. ENJOY!