Ken Hom's Spring Salad with Sesame Oil and Shallot Dressing
This great recipe for spring salad with sesame oil and shallot dressing is perfect for entertaining, created by the legendary chef Ken Hom for Kikkoman
- Serves4
- Preparation Time10 mins
- Cooking Time1 hour
Ingredients
- 350g tender salad greens
- 3 tbsp shallots, finely chopped and squeeze-dried
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp Kikkoman Less Salt Soy Sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp oil, preferably groundnut
- Caramelised pecans
- 225g shelled pecans
- 100g sugar
- 450ml oil, preferably groundnut
Method
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the pecans and cook for about 5 mins to blanch them. Drain the nuts in a colander or sieve and pat dry with kitchen paper and spread them on a baking tray.
Let the pecans dry for 40mins, then sprinkle the sugar over the pecans and roll them in it until completely covered. Place the tray of sugared pecans in a cool place overnight to dry.
Heat a wok of large frying pan over a high heat and heat the 450ml oil until smoking. Turn the heat down and deep-fry a batch of the pecans for about 2 mins or until the sugar melts and the pecans turn golden.
Remove the pecans from the oil using a strainer and lay on a rack to cool.
Deep fry and drain the rest of the pecans in the same way. Once they are all cooled, the caramel pecans can be kept in a sealed glass jar for about 2 weeks.
Wash and thoroughly spin dry the salad green. In a large salad bowl, combine the shallots with the lemon juice, Kikkoman less salt soy sauce and pepper. Slowly beat in the sesame and groundnut oil, add the greens and toss thoroughly.
Add the pecans, mix and serve at once.
