Arugula, Sweet Potato, and Walnut Salad With Dashi "Vinaigrette" Recipe

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A smoky, savory salad. . Vicky Wasik

Why This Recipe Works

  • The smoky, salty, savory flavor of shoyu-dashi adds an entirely different, and delicious, dimension to salads compared to a classic lemon juice– or vinegar-based dressing.
  • Toasting the walnuts in the microwave is quick and easy.

Conventional wisdom says that salads should be dressed with vinaigrettes, which, by definition, balance an acid with a fat. Turns out you can break that rule by dropping the acid entirely. In this salad, we make a "vinaigrette" with shoyu-dashi—soy sauce mixed with dashi—for an easy, deeply flavorful dish.

Recipe Details

Arugula, Sweet Potato, and Walnut Salad With Dashi "Vinaigrette" Recipe

Active 10 mins
Total 25 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (500g) sweet potatoes in jackets, poked all over with a fork

  • 1 cup walnut halves (3 ounces; 90g), crumbled

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 2 cups (475ml) cold water

  • 1/4 ounce dried kombu (8g; about one 5- by 2-inch piece)

  • 1/4 ounce dried bonito flakes (8g; 1 loosely packed cup)

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) soy sauce

  • 4 cups arugula (2 1/2 ounces; 70g)

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Microwave sweet potatoes until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. If desired, peel and discard jackets. Cut into medium cubes and allow to cool to room temperature.

  2. Meanwhile, on a microwave-safe plate, drizzle walnuts with just enough olive oil to lightly coat, toss well, and arrange in a single even layer. Microwave in 1-minute intervals at high power, tossing walnuts between intervals, until toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

  3. In a medium saucepan, combine water with kombu and cook over medium heat until just shy of a simmer. Remove and discard kombu using tongs. Remove from heat, add bonito flakes, and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain dashi into a heatproof container through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard bonito flakes. (See note.)

  4. In a small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup dashi together with soy sauce (this is now shoyu-dashi). Reserve remaining dashi for another use. (It's good just as a warming broth, or can be used to make a quick miso soup.)

  5. In a clean small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons shoyu-dashi with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Reserve remaining shoyu-dashi for another use. (It's delicious as a broth for poached eggs, steamed fish, or simple steamed vegetables.)

  6. In a salad bowl, combine sweet potato, walnuts, and arugula. Dress with shoyu-dashi/oil mixture, tossing well to coat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

Kombu and bonito flakes can be saved and used to make a second, weaker dashi that forms a great base for miso soup.

Special Equipment

Fine-mesh strainer

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
351 Calories
24g Fat
30g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 351
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 31%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 693mg 30%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 27mg 137%
Calcium 106mg 8%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 801mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)