Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Tatsoi growing in a high tunnel at Hillside Organics.

Tatsoi is also known as Japanese spinach, spinach mustard, or spoon mustard, and is a hardy member of the Brassicaceae family, with the ability to withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees F! The following tatsoi recipe is adapted from KalynsKitchen.com, and was originally published in the New York Times.

Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 bunch tatsoi (leaves only)
sesame seeds, for garnish

Dressing Ingredients
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Asian hot chile sauce
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill another bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Wash tatsoi leaves and cut into thick strips. Dump the leaves into boiling water, time for exactly one minute, and then drain immediately into a colander and dump into the bowl of ice water.

While the leaves are cooling in ice water, get a plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid. Mix dressing ingredients in this bowl, then drain tatsoi well and add to dressing. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more, turning bowl over a few times so that the tatsoi remains coated with the dressing.

Toast sesame seeds for 1-2 minutes in a dry pan and sprinkle over salad. Serve immediately.