Cold Ramen Noodle. Salad With Napa Cabbage And Ginger Miso Dressing

Cold Ramen Noodle Salad With Napa

Cabbage & Ginger-Miso Dressing

A mash-up of slaw and pasta salad, this vegan dish features instant ramen noodles and crunchy raw vegetables in a gingery, umami-packed dressing. An optional garnish of shiso or perilla leaves lends a uniquely herbal flavour. Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend that includes hot pepper, orange peel and sesame seeds. Shiso, perilla and togarashi can be found at select Asian supermarkets.

Ingredients:

Ginger Miso Dressing
2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped ginger
2 tbsp (30 mL) white miso
2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 mL) rice vinegar
1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) sesame oil
Salad
3 single-serve pkgs (100 to 120 g each) instant ramen noodles, flavour packets discarded or saved for another use
5 cups (1.25 L) packed thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1 red Shepherd or bell pepper, julienned
1 medium-size carrot, peeled, julienned
3 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced on bias
Salt to taste
Roasted sesame seeds and finely sliced shiso or perilla (optional) to garnish
Shichimi or Nanami togarashi to serve

Directions:

For the dressing, combine ginger, miso, soy, sugar and vinegar in blender. Blend until smooth. With motor running, add oils in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Scrape down bowl and blend again. Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 month. Stir before using.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ramen and cook according to instructions on package. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cooled. Drain again and transfer to a very large mixing bowl. Blot excess moisture from ramen with paper towel.

Add cabbage, pepper, carrot and green onions to bowl. Season lightly with salt. Add enough dressing to coat, saving rest for another use. Using tongs, toss salad until well mixed.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with shiso or perilla, if using. Serve with togarashi on the side.  Serves 6 to 8

Ramen Noodle Salad

Cooked Ramen Noodle Salad

Cooked remen noodles create a taste, easy salad when mixed with
such as sweet napa cabbage, juicy corn kernels, crunchy cucumber, and vibrant cherry tomatoes. Tossed in a tangy and spicy sesame dressing, this easy 30-minute dish is both flavorful and satisfying. The mix of vegetables provides a delightful textural contrast to the bouncy noodles, while the dressing strikes the right balance of acidity and heat. To easily cut the nori sheet into thin strips, use a pair of scissors instead of a knife. To make ahead: Store the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Ingredients:
Dressing

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sriracha chile sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (about 1[1/2-inch] piece)
1/4 teaspoon grated garlic

Salad
2 (3.7-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded
1 cup baby arugula
1 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
2/3 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 largeear)
2/3 cup thinly sliced sugar snap peas
2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 English cucumber, cut into 1/2-inch-thick matchsticks (about 2/3 cup)
1 (8- x 8-inch) nori sheet, cut into 2- x 1/4-inch strips (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2small scallions)

Directions
Make the dressing 

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and well combined. Set aside.

Make the salad
Cook ramen according to package directions (without seasoning packets). Transfer cooked noodles to a large bowl of ice water, and let stand until chilled, about 3 minutes. Drain noodles, and transfer to a large serving bowl or two individual bowls.

Arrange arugula, cabbage, corn, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and cucumber evenly over noodles. Sprinkle evenly divided nori and scallions in the center of each bowl. Drizzle each noodle salad with 1/4 cup dressing. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Lemony Bean & Brassica Soup With Napa Cabbage & Dill

Lemony Bean & Brassica Soup

With Napa Cabbage & Dill

From creator Chef Diane Kochilas: "Cabbage lovers rejoice! This brassica-heavy bean soup is packed with several members of the Brassica genus, one of the healthiest and most nutritious vegetable groups in the world. I can’t help but think this soup is like an Ikarian garden on steroids, so to speak, chock-full of various species of these cruciferous vegetables and roots, many of which have long provided easy, inexpensive, and health-giving opportunities to make a delicious dinner that doesn’t cost that much or take much to produce in one’s own backyard. You can play around with this, adding, say Brussels sprouts or even kale to the soup."

Ingredients:

½ lemon

1 small celery root (celeriac)

¾ cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil

1 large red onion, chopped

1 large leek, trimmed and chopped

1 small bunch Chinese celery, trimmed and chopped (with leaves)

½ small head Napa or Savoy cabbage, trimmed and finely shredded (about 3 cups)

1 large carrot, trimmed, peeled, and chopped 

1 parsnip, pared and cut into a ½-inch (1½-cm) dice

1 rutabaga, peeled and cut into a ½-inch (1½-cm) dice

1 kohlrabi, trimmed and cut into a ½-inch (1½-cm) dice

4 garlic cloves

4 cups canned navy or other white beans, preferably organic 

(Rancho Gordo Note: We recommend our Marcella or Alubia Blanca beans)

10 cups vegetable broth or stock, or water

2 bay leaves

6 thyme sprigs

Fresh strained juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch dill, leaves snipped or chopped

Directions:

Prepare acidulated water by squeezing and dropping half a lemon into 3 cups of water in a medium mixing bowl. Trim, peel, and dice the celeriac (celery root) and place it in the acidulated water. Set aside until ready to use.

Drain the celeriac. In a large soup pot, heat ¼ cup of olive oil and cook the onion, leek, celery, celeriac, carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, and kohlrabi until translucent and al dente, and until the onions are soft. Stir the garlic into the vegetable mixture. 

Add the beans, stock or water, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat to low, bring to a simmer, keep the lid on the pot ajar, and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Fish out the thyme and bay leaves with a spoon and discard.

Using an immersion blender, puree a little bit of the soup in the pot, about 1½ cups or so—use your judgment to “eyeball” it. Doing this will create a creamy texture. 

Stir in the cabbage and cook the soup for 15 more minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Whisk the lemon juice and remaining olive oil together in a small bowl and add the mixture to the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the dill. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve.  Makes 8 servings.

Diane Kochilas is a chef and award-winning author of numerous cookbooks, including a favorite of ours, called Ikaria: Lessons on Food, Life, and Longevity from the Island Where People Forget to Die. This recipe is from her new book, The Ikaria Way: 100 Delicious Plant-Based Recipes Inspired by My Homeland, the Greek Island of Longevity. It publishes on March 26th and we can't wait to get a copy. There are so many good things to eat the this region, and it's part of the famous Blue Zones that enjoy amazing longevity. Spoiler alert: Beans are almost always a part of the long-life equation.

Lemon Basil Mayonnaise, Smoky Cod And Scallion Cakes, Napa Cabbage Slaw,

 Lemon Bail Mayonnaise 

Smoky Cod and Scallion Cakes

Napa Cabbage Slaw

Lemon Basil Mayonnaise
The lemony tang of this mayonnaise makes it great with all types of grilled fish.
Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup (50 mL) chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Stir ingredients together until well combined.
Makes 1 cup (250 mL)

Smoky Cod and Scallion Cakes
Toasty Spanish paprika gives these cod cakes their decidedly smoky flavour. The peppers used for the spice are smoked over oak logs before being dried and ground. Once you've tried this versatile spice, which comes in hot and in sweet varieties, you'll want to use it on everything. This recipe calls for the sweet variety which lends itself well to the delicate flavour of the cod. You'll also need panko, a Japanese style breadcrumb, which will give the cakes their light texture.
Ingredients:
2 lbs (1 kg) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
5 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp (10 mL) garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) smoked paprika
¾ cup (175 mL) milk
Salt to taste
1 lb (500 g) fresh cod fillets, cut into large cubes
½ tsp (2 mL) white pepper
2 tsp (10 mL) hot pepper sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup (50 mL) chopped Italian parsley
½ cup (125 mL) panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp (25 mL) all-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
Olive oil for frying
Directions:

Cover potatoes with salted water and bring to boil over high heat. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Strain well and return to pot.

Add 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil to a large saucepan. Sauté green onion, garlic and paprika over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add milk, salt and cod. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

Remove cod from cooking liquid and place in large bowl. Reserve cooking liquid. With a fork break cod into small pieces. Stir in white pepper, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire, parsley, bread crumbs, flour and egg until well combined.

Mash potatoes with cod cooking liquid. Texture should be fairly dry. Add a small amount of milk if necessary to facilitate mashing.

Add potatoes to cod mixture and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Form twelve 1½-inch (4-cm) thick patties from fish mixture and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow to firm.

Add enough oil to a large nonstick skillet to coat bottom of pan. Turn heat to medium.

Fry in batches until golden on both sides and heated through to the middle; about 5 minutes on each side. Add oil as needed. Keep cakes warm in low oven until all are finished. Serve with a dollop of Lemon Basil Mayonnaise and a hearty portion of Napa Cabbage Slaw (recipe follows).
Serves 6

Napa Cabbage Slaw
Make sure to slice cabbage and apple thinly to give great texture.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp (15 mL) grainy mustard
2 tbsp (25 mL) red wine vinegar
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
2 tbsp (25 mL) mayonnaise
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Salt to taste
1 small head napa cabbage
1 red apple, such as Spartan or Ida Red
Directions:
Whisk together mustard, red wine vinegar, oil and green onions. Season with salt.

Cut cabbage lengthwise into quarters, then into thin strips.

Quarter and core apple, then thinly slice.

Toss apple and cabbage with dressing and serve.
Serves 6

Fish Tacos With Pineapple Slaw

FISH TACOS WITH PINEAPPLE SLAW

Taco Tuesday never tasted so good and was never so easy to prep. With your salmon cooked ahead you just need to pop it back on the barbecue or in the oven to warm it up and stir up a quick slaw. Add some regular tomato salsa and guacamole for those who think they’re mandatory taco fillings. Set the fillings out with the warmed tortillas and extra hot sauce for everyone to custom-build their own tacos.

3 cups thinly sliced Savoy or napa cabbage
1 cup julienned pineapple, about 6 thin rings
¼ English cucumber, julienned
¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tsp grated lime or lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice
Salt
Hot pepper sauce
⅓ recipe Maple Lemon Grilled Salmon, broken into chunks
⅛ tsp chili powder, or to taste
8 to 12 small corn tortillas

1. Preheat barbecue grill to medium or oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Combine cabbage, pineapple, cucumber, sour cream, lime zest and lime juice in a large bowl. Season with about ½ tsp salt and hot pepper sauce, to taste. Let stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes, until slightly wilted and flavours blend (you can cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours).

3. Place salmon on a large piece of foil and sprinkle with chili powder and season with salt, then wrap into packet. Wrap tortillas in a separate foil packet. Warm on the barbecue or in the oven for about 10 minutes, flipping packets once if using the barbecue.

4. Season slaw with more salt, if necessary. Divide salmon between tortillas and top with slaw and more hot sauce, if desired.

Serve 4

Sesame Chicken Salad With Mandarin-Ginger Vinaigrette

Sesame Chicken Salad with 

Mandarin-Ginger Vinaigrette 

Developed by Sara Quessenberry for Cleveland Clinic Wellness
Think you need dozens of ingredients and hours in the kitchen to create a delicious meal? Our Sesame Chicken Salad begs to differ. Proof that simplicity and satisfaction are anything but opposites, this Asian-inspired salad is loaded with flavor and a snap to make. The bed of Napa cabbage, kale, and carrots offers crunch and loads of nutrients, and cilantro, scallions, and sesame seeds up the flavor ante. For the vinaigrette, you pull out all the stops, but even those are quite simple. A combination of fresh mandarin orange juice, lime juice, toasted sesame oil, and ginger create tang and natural sweetness. Enjoy for lunch or as a simple weeknight dinner.  Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the salad:
2 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cups shredded napa cabbage
2 cups torn kale leaves
2 mandarin oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
1 carrot, shredded
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons fresh mandarin orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
To poach the chicken breasts, put them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Place over medium-high heat and let come to a boil. Cover tightly, remove from the heat, and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the water and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to use, then shred the chicken.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, kale, orange slices, carrot, scallions, and cilantro.

In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, lime juice, sesame oil, ginger, and salt. Drizzle over the salad and toss well.

Divide the salad among bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Nutritional facts per serving: 245 calories, 7 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 23 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 12 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar, 0 g added sugar, 41 mg cholesterol, 382 mg sodium

Asian Salad

Asian Salad

Ingredients:

Mirin

3/4 cup rice vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix together until sugar dissolves and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, allow to cool.

Salad

Napa Cabbage, cut into thin strips.

Purple Cabbage, cut into thin strips.

Carrots, cut into 1 to 2 inch strips

8 green onions cut into 1/2 inch slices

Fried won-ton or chow mein noodles

Salad Dressing:

Mirin  (recipe above)

1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed

1/3 cup diced onion

2 tablespoon grated ginger

Asian-Inspired Napa Cabbage Wraps

Asian-Inspired Napa

Cabbage Wraps

Give your sliced bread the day off.  Gorgeous, sturdy Napa Cabbage leaves make a great container for sandwich fillings and salads.  This recipe can easily be adapted to use leftover cooked meats, veggies and noodles or rice.  You can even fill the leaves with chicken, tuna or egg salad.

Ingredients:

8 Napa cabbage leaves

8 ounces tempeh, crumbled

1/4 cup minced yellow onion

1 teaspoon minced ginger root

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon olive oil or coconut oil

4 ounces fine rice noodles

1 medium carrot

1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons reduced-fat prepared sesame 

   ginger salad dressing

Directions:

Separate 8 cabbage leaves from the head of Napa cabbage and place cut side down in a bowl of water to refresh while you prepare the filling. 

Toss the tempeh crumbles with the onion, ginger, curry powder and salt. Heat oil in a skillet and cook tempeh mixture until browned and crisped, about 5–7 minutes. 

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir
in rice noodles and cook according to directions on the package. Drain and rinse noodles in a colander. 

Fill a small bowl with ice water. Peel the carrot and continue with the peeler to make carrot ribbons. Then add them to the ice water to keep crisp until you are ready to serve. 

Toss the tempeh, noodles, cilantro and carrot ribbons together with the sesame ginger salad dressing. 

Divide the salad mixture into the Napa cabbage leaves and serve. Serves 4.