WInter Salad Ideas

Peel, Pare and Chop (or Grate). Add a dressing and voila!... good and good for you.

Here I have white daikon radish, orange carrots and green kohlrabi ---- and it took me hours to arrange the peelings and slices for this photo. But you could just be minutes away from a great salad. Here are some ideas.

Here is a basic sweet carrot and daikon salad recipe (Sweet vs spicy)

You could mix some other of our winter vegetables... notably, kohlrabi and celeriac into this... perhaps you double the recipe and use about 1 1/2 lb daikon and 1 1/2 lb mix of carrot, kohlrabi and celeriac .....

1 1/2 pounds daikon radish (about 14 inches), peeled

1 large carrot, peeled

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 dashes light soy sauce, or to taste (optional).

1. Cut daikon and carrot into thin shreds, or grate. Combine vegetables in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and toss well. Set aside 20 minutes. Drain off liquid as it collects in bottom of bowl. Squeeze out excess liquid and transfer vegetables to a new bowl.

2. Dissolve sugar in vinegar and pour over vegetables. Toss. Refrigerate, tossing occasionally, at least 1 hour or overnight. Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving; dish should be served at cool room temperature. Just before serving, taste; if desired, add soy sauce and toss.

Yield: 6 servings.

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Ginger and sesame go really well with these vegetables too. Again, I wouldn't hesitate to double the recipe and add in some kohlrabi or napa or regular cabbage

2 thumbs ginger, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 large daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, grated or prepped like daikon
3 green onions, white and tender green parts, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, whisk together the ginger, oils, vinegar and soy sauce. Prep the daikon and carrot by peeling it, cutting it into 2-inch chunks, then slicing it into matchsticks. Toss all the vegetables in the bowl with the vinaigrette, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

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SOME OTHER NOTES

I rarely have rice vinegar, so I use apple cider vinegar... it takes away from the Asian flair a bit... but I still think it tastes good.

You don't have to eat these sorts of salads all at once. They kept fine for me in the refrigerator for two weeks or so. In fact, I think a day or two lets the flavors meld and it is even better! Have fun.

Anyone have a good Kimchee recipes? Your winter vegetables would make great kimchee.