Radish, Endive, and Carrot Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing

Mix together and be happy.

Back at salads again, and this time Im using new vegetables! Since starting this blog, I feel like a food detective in the supermarket. Before when I would see something in the produce section that looked unfamiliar and I would ignore it, knowing I would never try it. Now I see something new and grab it so I can go home and look up fun recipes for my new mystery vegetable.
Endives and Radishes are vegetables I've been meaning to try for a while, and I finally bought them both.

Inspiration for this salad dressing combo came from "The America's Best Test Kitchen: Family Style" cookbook. I was trying to play on a asian style theme, while still using easy/cheap vegetables. The spiced croutons were amazing, I had to stop myself from eating them all before they made it to the salad. It happens. The recipe for the croutons is in a different post, but please DO not ruin another salad with prepackaged 'tons. They taste like cardboard covered in garlic.

The dressing was fresh and delicious. You can use bottled OJ if you must, but fresh juice makes a huge difference. The orange juice is such a key element in creating the flavor of the dressing, buy an orange and squeeze it. Its cheaper than buying OJ! For the oil, I used vegetable, but you can use canola or grapeseed, you just want a flavorless oil that doesn't overpower the dressing. Also white wine vinegar is fine to use if you do not have red. The acidity from the vinegar is more important than if its red or white.  I can't stress the difference homemade dressing makes, and the simplicity. Making your own dressing takes less time than opening a store bought one, fo real people, DO IT!

With all the fresh vegetables at the farmers market I hope to making a lot more salads and fresh dressings, so stay tuned! Salad up people, bunny style!

Radish, Endive, and Carrot Salad with Orange Sesame Dressing

The Goods: serves 4-6

Jar O Dressing! 

Salad:
2-3 endives, leaves removed, sliced into bite sized squares
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
8-9 small radishes, halved and sliced thin
1 large head of boston or romaine lettuce, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds(optional)
Spiced Croutons, click her for recipe: Spiced Croutons

Orange Sesame Dressing:
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup vegetable oil (Grapeseed and canola are fine)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt


The Deal:
1. Toast sesame seeds in a small saute pan on medium heat until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Once toasted place sesame seeds and all other ingredients for the dressing in a jar with a air tight lid and shake vigoriously.

2. Place all salad ingredients into large bowl, except croutons. Toss the salad with the dressing, adding the croutons last to avoid soggy croutons. Serve it up!

The dressing can be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days, bring it to room temperature before reusing.