Serves 4
ingredients for the dressing 1/4 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms or 1 oz. fresh shiitake or oyster mushrooms, chopped 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 3/4 cup canola oil 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce 2 tablespoons mushroom soaking water (if using dried mushrooms) or water 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum powder
ingredients for the salad 4 to 6 oz. fresh Shiitake mushrooms 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 to 4 oz. salad mix pint jar of microgreens or sunflower sprouts 4 oz. chevre or blue cheese
shiitake sesame dressing If using dried mushrooms, put them in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak until the mushrooms are soft, at least an hour. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet, stirring until they are golden in color. Remove from the heat so they don’t burn. When dried mushrooms are soft, save 2 tablespoons of the soaking water, trim and discard the stems; chop the mushrooms. Put the oil, vinegar, soy sauce, reserved soaking water (or just water), sesame oil, the chopped mushrooms and xanthan gum in a blender. Whir just until the mushrooms are in tiny pieces, about 10 seconds. Add the toasted sesame seeds and blend a few seconds more. Store in a glass jar, refrigerated if not using right away.
the salad Assemble salad – including salad mix, microgreens or sprouts, and cheese. Remove stems from mushrooms and slice or chop caps. Save stems for stock. Heat oil in pan or skillet and add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned. Top the salad with hot mushrooms and shiitake dressing and eat immediately!
Salad dressing recipe reproduced from the Muffin Talk blog
