Asian Greens & Spring Vegetables

Here's a delicious vegetable dish from Moosewood Restaurant's New Classics: 350 Recipes for Homestyle Favorites and Everyday Feasts.

This light and elegant side dish with a mild sesame-ginger dressing can be made with almost any type of greens, including bok choy, spinach, or Swiss chard. Use either snow peas or halved asparagus spears, depending upon what is available and looks most fresh and tender.

6 oz. snow peas or 8 asparagus spears
4 cups sliced bok choy, or 6 cups rinsed and steamed fresh spinach leaves
1 cup carrot matchsticks*
1/2 cup daikon matchsticks*

Dressing
3 Tbs. dark sesame oil
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated fresh gingerroot
1/3 cup scallions, sliced on an extreme diagonal
1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds**
Lemon wedges

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil on high heat. Remove the strings from the snow peas, if using, and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. (Or, for asparagus, snap off the tough stem ends, cut the spears in half on the diagonal, rinse, and simmer until tender about 7 minutes.) Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, and set aside. Blanch the bok choy in the same water for 2 to 3 minutes (blanch spinach for 1 minute), then drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk together the sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and ginger root. Toss the bok choy or spinach with half of the dressing and spread on a serving platter. Toss the rest of the vegetables with the remaining dressing and arrange them on top of the greens. Sprinkle with the scallions and sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature, decorated with a few lemon wedges.

*If you prefer, use 1 cup of grated carrots and 1/2 cup grated daikon.

**Toast sesame seeds on an unoiled baking tray at 350 F for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and golden.