FRESH JUICED CURRY DRESSING

MAKES 1 PINT

A BRIGHT AND JUICY MARINADE OR a superlight dressing, we use this vibrant recipe on our Laotian Citrus Salad (here), but I find myself craving it on all my salads in the dead of winter when, let’s face it, Seattleites desperately crave color wherever we can get it. The lemon, ginger, and carrot compose much of the flavor, but really, it’s all about the curry. I use a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) to pull this together because it actually heats up while blending, which helps open up the oils and intense flavor in the curry powder. Because it relies on fruits and vegetables instead of a lot of oil, it’s lower in fat and will therefore separate after a day or so in the fridge, so just give it a good shake to bring it back together.

6 cloves garlic, left whole

½ carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks

½ pear, peeled and cored

2 tablespoons curry powder

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ cup seasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons olive or avocado oil

Leaves from 3 sprigs mint

1 tablespoon sriracha

2 teaspoons agave syrup

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ cup water

1. In a small saucepan filled with water, boil the garlic for 5 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

2. In a high-speed blender, combine all the remaining ingredients plus the boiled garlic. Blend on high speed until the pitcher becomes warm to the touch and the mixture has turned yellow. Taste and adjust for salt.

3. If you do not have a high-speed blender: Using a regular blender, place the boiled garlic cloves, while still hot, in the blender along with the oil and curry powder, and blend together first. This will make the curry more fragrant. Afterward, add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes.

CHEF’S NOTES: Any variety of pear will work in this dressing. If your pear is very ripe and sweet, you may want to omit the agave syrup.