Roxanne Chan's eye-pleasing Winter Wilted Shiitake Salad was the first recipe that the judges sampled when we started evaluating the entries in this year's recipe contest ... and it remained a favorite throughout the selection process. And, why not? It has everything: it's easy to assemble, is a bonanza of textures and colors, is wholesome and fresh tasting, and would be a delight to feature on any dining table.
Roxanne confesses that she's no newcomer to recipe contests. She's been creating recipes and entering amateur competitions for almost 35 years. She likes to introduce Asian flavors into preparations. Salads, such as the Winter Wilted Shiitake Salad, are the favorite category of recipe for her to develop, thanks in large part to the inspiration provided by her garden in Albany, California, on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay. Roxanne's husband is also an inspiration for her recipes: he's a mushroom forager, and she delights in incorporating his discoveries into her food preparations. What a great partnership and recipe!
We've had good luck growing shiitake. But we
don't always have the patience to inoculate hardwood logs
and then wait 6-12 months for these meaty mushrooms to fruit!
Roxanne Chan's Winter Wilted Shiitake Salad
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
6 cups fresh baby spinach
2 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
1 can (15 ounces) whole baby corn, drained
1 carrot, grated
1/4 cup minced green onion
1/2 cup sliced red radishes
1/4 cup snipped cilantro
2 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Garnish: lime zest
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Saute the mushrooms 5 minutes or until tender.
- In a large bowl place the spinach, cabbage, corn, carrot, onion, radishes and cilantro.
- To the skillet add the vinegar, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce and sesame seeds. Cook over medium heat until heated through. Pour over the spinach mixture and toss to evenly coat.
- Serve immediately with garnish. Serves 4.