From the Pantry: Add the umami factor to spring salads

Once spring arrives, salads start hitting their stride. Potatoes, squash and other hearty vegetables we subsisted on for their seasonal attributes now make way for vegetables that need little preparation beyond a quick wash and chop. Ah, the ease of the spring salad. It's almost as good as the sweet crunch of fresh, raw vegetables.

But if you are like me and you have been eating salads well through the winter, you still need a little twist in the salad repertoire besides those seasonal veggies to amp up the volume. I recently found this in the way of two ingredients for my salad dressing that are not typically on my grocery list - anchovy paste and miso paste. I do love sauteing anchovies to add to pasta dishes but anchovy paste helps you skip that step. Keep it in the fridge and you can add it in dishes for months ahead.

Miso paste is actually a little less in my wheelhouse. Beyond enjoying it in soup at Asian restaurants, I had never cooked with this paste, which is made from fermented soybeans. Like anchovies, miso is known for its umami factor - its ability to enhance every dish with its subtle and almost indiscernible flavor. Miso, in particular, is sweet, salty, savory and nutty at the same time. Like anchovy paste it is quite versatile and you will have lots of miso paste to experiment with for the many spring and summer dishes in your future.

Miso-Lime Asian Salad

with Chicken

Serves 4

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons white miso paste

1 tablespoon rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 chicken breasts, halved

6 ounce butter crunch lettuce, chopped

2 large carrots, shredded

1 avocado, diced

1 cup cucumbers, chopped

1 cup edamame, cooked until tender

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, miso, vinegar, garlic and anchovy paste. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup oil. Add lime juice (I used about 2 tablespoons lime juice), salt and pepper to taste and set aside the dressing.

Place the flour along with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on a large plate. Pat chicken breast pieces dry. Dip one piece in the flour, shaking off any excess. Put all floured chicken on a large plate ready to pan-fry.

In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, if needed, add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the pieces over and cook until cooked through, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to an oven safe pan and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Place lettuce, carrots, avocado, cucumbers and edamame in a large bowl. Stir lightly to combine. Remove chicken from the oven and dice into about 1-inch pieces. Place on top of the salad. Serve dressing on the side for people to add as desired.

Source:

Adapted from Keepers