Spinach Salad With Seared Bok Choy Ginger And Cilantro Food

ASIAN SPINACH SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk 6 tablespoons oil, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add noodles from soup mix (reserve seasoning packet for another use), nuts and sesame seeds. Stir until noodles, nuts and seeds are toasted and golden, about 8 minutes. Pour contents of skillet into large bowl and cool 10 minutes. Add spinach and green onions to same bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Serve, passing remaining dressing separately.

SOBA NOODLE AND STEAK SALAD WITH GINGER-LIME DRESSING

Steps:

• Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Rinse under cold water, drain well and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, sesame oil and brown sugar; set aside.
• Season the steak well with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast-iron pan over medium-high until very hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the canola oil and when it shimmers, add the steak and cook, undisturbed, until it begins to get crisp and golden on the outside, 3 to 4 minutes. (If you are using skirt steak, you may need to cut it into 2 or 3 pieces to fit in the pan, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes.) Flip and finish cooking, about 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Set aside and allow the steak to rest while you prepare the rest of the salad.
• Turn heat to medium and add the bok choy. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown and char in spots, 2 to 3 minutes, adding another teaspoon or so of oil if needed to help if the pan is too dry. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles, carrots, radishes (if using) and half the scallions. Drizzle with the ginger-lime dressing to taste and divide among plates or in serving bowls. Thinly slice the steaks against the grain and top each portion with some of the steak and the bok choy. Scatter the remaining scallions and the mint over top and season with flaky salt, if desired. Serve with any leftover dressing in a small bowl to be passed at the table.

SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH GINGER-LIME BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes and wrap them tightly in foil. Roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (If you are using larger sweet potatoes, they may require 15 minutes more in the oven.)
• Using a paring knife, remove the small hard "foot" from the edge of each scallop. Pat scallops dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Put on a medium pot of salted water to boil for the greens.
• Meanwhile, make the ginger butter: Combine butter, ginger, chile and lime zest and juice and stir together until well incorporated. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
• Take a cast-iron skillet large enough to hold the scallops without crowding and place over medium-high heat. Add a film of olive oil. When the oil is nearly smoking, add the scallops in one layer and let them sizzle. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for at least 5 minutes. Use a small spatula to check the scallops as they brown, allowing them to color gradually. They should be quite crisp and well caramelized. Turn off heat and flip scallops. Leave in pan until firm to the touch.
• While the scallops are cooking, blanch the bok choy: Cook it for 1 minute in the salted boiling water, then drain and blot on a kitchen towel. Keep warm.
• Remove and place scallops, browned side up, onto warmed serving plates. Surround with the bok choy leaves and halved or sliced sweet potatoes.
• Quickly warm the butter in the cast-iron pan and spoon over everything. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

SPINACH SALAD WITH JAPANESE GINGER DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine onion, oil, vinegar, ginger, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender.
• Process until combined.
• Toss spinach, carrot and bell pepper with the dressing in a large bowl until evenly coated.
• Serve.
• NOTE: You can cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 5 days.