Sunday, October 19, 2014

Mixed Lettuces with White Radish, Snow Peas, & Yuzu Dressing

"Mixed Lettuces with White Radish, Snow Peas, & Yuzu Dressing" (page 52) is a simple salad that is pretty much summed up in the title of the recipe. The dressing calls for Yuzu vinegar which is made from the juice of yuzu, a sour Japanese citrus fruit. Since I was unable to find this, I used my favorite balsamic vinegar as a dressing instead (the recipe suggests substituting a mixture of rice vinegar and lemon juice for the yuzu if you can't find this specialty product). The recipe as written calls for 1/3 cup of olive oil, and simply omitting this completely will result in a purely vinegar based dressing. This works great if you use a mild, slightly sweet natural balsamic vinegar such as the one I used (Fustini's). Otherwise, you can use water instead of the oil and thicken the dressing with a ¼ teaspoon of guar gum (put all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously; let sit for about 30 minutes to thicken). Very simple, colorful, and tasty, this salad makes a great start to any meal.
 
Keeping it "McDougall Friendly" checklist:
                                                                                                                            
ΓΌ  Omit the olive oil. Use a mild and slightly sweet natural balsamic instead, or a water based dressing thickened with guar gum.

2 comments:

  1. Oh yes please Becky! That looks and sounds delicious! I've come across Yuzu but your improv sounds a good match. I have the impulse to serve that with avocado as a main meal, with a side of black rice. The guar gum as a thickener in dressing is new to me. I have a feeling those gums make me a bit gassy! Lovely photo as always.

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    1. Thanks Jennifer! Turning this dish into a main meal is a great idea, especially with a side of black rice. Yum! :-)

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