Straight from the Earth

RED LEAF, JICAMA, and ORANGE SALAD with CITRUS-SESAME-SOY VINAIGRETTE

Earthbound Farm’s executive chef, Sarah LaCasse, made this wonderful salad for a lunch meeting one day. After I sheepishly had a huge third helping, and then confirmed the recipe “just happened to be vegan,” I knew it was meant for this cookbook. The dressing is a wonderful combination of quintessential Asian ingredients—soy, sesame, and ginger—sweetened with fresh orange juice and agave. The jicama is juicy and crunchy, adding a nice texture to the salad. Sarah’s original salad had equal parts red leaf lettuce, baby spinach, and arugula, so you might want to give that combination a try, too. —MYRA

Serves 4

CITRUS-SESAME-SOY VINAIGRETTE

3 tbsp canola oil

3 tbsp toasted sesame oil

3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari sauce

2 tbsp fresh orange juice

2 tbsp rice vinegar, brown or white

1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tsp agave nectar

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

SALAD

3 medium heads red leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

2 medium oranges, segmented (see Note, page 48)

1 cup/120 g matchstick pieces jicama

¹/₂ small red onion, cut in half through the stem end and thinly sliced

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (see page 72)

To make the vinaigrette: Combine the canola oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, orange juice, vinegar, ginger, agave, and pepper in a small jar. Seal the lid tightly and shake vigorously. Let the dressing sit at room temperature if you are making the salad within 2 hours. Otherwise, refrigerate for up to 1 week, and let it return to room temperature before using.

To make the salad: Put the lettuce, orange segments, jicama, and onion in a large salad bowl. Toss with half of the dressing. Add the sesame seeds and toss again. Taste, and add more dressing if desired. Serve immediately.