Watercress And Mushroom Salad With Asian Dressing Recipes

WATERCRESS, ENDIVE AND MUSHROOM SALAD

Steps:

• Trim off and discard the tough stem ends of the watercress. Put the tender leaves and remaining stems in a salad bowl.
• Cut off the bottoms of each head of endive. Cut each head into 1-inch lengths and separate the leaves. There should be about 2 cups. Add it to the salad bowl.
• Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. Cut them into thin slices. There should be about 1 1/2 cups. Add to the salad bowl.
• Sprinkle the greens with the cheese.
• Blend in a separate bowl the garlic, mustard and sour cream. Add salt and pepper. Stir in the vinegar and the oil.
• Pour the sauce over the salad greens and toss to blend.

SPRING SALAD WITH WATERCRESS DRESSING

Steps:

• Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain and halve when cool enough to handle; set aside. Blanch the shelled broad beans and the asparagus in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain in a sieve and cool under running cold water. Drain again, fish out the asparagus, then peel off the hard outer skins from the beans - make a nick in the tops and pop the beans out. Blanch the shelled peas in a separate pan for 1 minute. Toss the asparagus, beans, peas, potatoes and prosciutto together.
• For the dressing, put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until really smooth and bright green. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, toss the salad leaves with a spoonful or two of dressing and arrange on plates. Pile the vegetable mixture on top, season, then drizzle over the remaining dressing and scatter with the pecorino.

ASIAN PEAR AND WATERCRESS SALAD WITH SESAME DRESSING

Steps:

• Make dressing:
• Blend all dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth.
• Prepare salad:
• Peel pear and cut into 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick julienne, then transfer to a bowl.
• Combine watercress and pear in a bowl, then season with salt and pepper and toss gently. Divide among plates, then drizzle with some dressing and sprinkle with carrot.

WATERCRESS SALAD WITH SOY-SESAME DRESSING

Steps:

• Trim the stalks from the watercress. Wash and spin dry the leaves. Rinse the endive and slice it lengthwise into thin slivers. Place the endive in a salad bowl with the watercress.
• Remove the pith from the orange segments and cut them into small pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine the garlic with the soy sauce, the vinegar and the sesame and olive oils. Crush the garlic into the dressing with a fork, and then remove it. Season the dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
• Toss the salad in the dressing and serve.