Orange and Cashew Cabbage Salad With Sesame Dressing

Amarante

Wed, May 24 2023, 2:05 pm

This was good but I think I still prefer my Fusion Salad.

This is more of a very good variant of Chinese Chicken Salad - could add shredded chicken of course.

Dressing will keep for about a week. I think dressing it ahead of time is good as it lets the flavors marry but I would leave out the wonton strips and the nuts until you actually serve so they remain crispy

Orange and Cashew Cabbage Salad With Sesame Dressing

Any green cabbage works well as the base of this salad; varieties such as napa and Savoy will be slightly more tender than standard cabbage, so pick which one you like best. Substitution options are nearly endless. The original recipe by chef Wolfgang Puck featured chicken and called for radicchio instead of the red cabbage, and mango instead of orange.

Servings: 4 (makes 8 cups)

Ingredients

For the dressing

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons mustard, preferably Chinese or Dijon
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame paste, may substitute tahini
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chili oil, or more to taste
1/2 cup peanut oil, or another neutral oil - use peanut for better flavor
Fine salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

For the salad

8 ounces (0.25 medium head) green cabbage, finely shredded (4 cups)
2 ounces (0.125 small head) red cabbage, finely shredded (1 cup)
1 head romaine lettuce, roughly torn
1/2 small red onion (2 ounces total), thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, scrubbed and coarsely grated
1/2 cup crispy wonton strips, divided (may substitute crispy chow mein noodles)
1 medium seedless orange, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces and divided
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews, divided
Sesame seeds, white or black, for optional garnish

Make the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, mustard, honey, sesame paste or tahini, ginger, and chili oil. Pulse several times to combine, then, with the motor running, slowly add the peanut oil and process until the dressing is emulsified. Taste, and season with salt, pepper and/or more chili oil, if needed. You should get about 1 cup.

Make the salad: In a large bowl, toss together the green and red cabbages, lettuce, onion, carrot and half of the wonton strips until well distributed. Add half of the dressing and toss until well coated. Add half of the orange pieces and half of the cashews and toss lightly to combine.

Divide the salad among 4 plates and garnish each portion with the remaining wonton strips, oranges and cashews, and the sesame seeds, if using. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side, if desired.