Spinach with Sesame-Miso Dressing

Spinach with Sesame-Miso Dressing

Serves 4 
Bright-green fresh spinach tossed in a deliciously nutty dressing of toasted sesame seeds and umami-rich miso - don’t ever bring this popular Japanese side dish in front of Popeye or he might just stop eating everything else. I love serving this dish warm in winters and chilled in summers, and it goes beautifully well as a side or a salad with any protein of your choice - be it steak or grilled fish. Super simple to put together and ready within minutes; you can make this recipe using either fresh Chinese/English spinach or packaged spinach leaves from a box. Freshest is best when it comes to greens, which is why I always go for Chinese Spinach with roots, get rid of the roots and use the rest of the spinach and stems the same day for the dish. Also, toasting your own sesame will make all the difference in this recipe as the aromas released by the oils when grinding warm, freshly toasted seeds are unbeatable. Enjoy the recipe!

Ingredients
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​1 tablespoon sea-salt 
180g spinach leaves OR 400g whole Chinese spinach ​
1 tablespoon mirin or dry sherry or dry white wine 
2 tablespoons white sesame ​
2 teaspoons Miso paste (I use mixed miso)
​1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon light sauce ​
1 tablespoon sesame oil
extra sesame oil and toasted sesame, for garnish - optional

Recipe
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1If using whole Chinese spinach, discard roots and lower half of the stems. Soak and rinse leaves and stems really well, set aside.

2Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add a good amount of salt to make the water taste salty.

3Add a tablespoon of mirin in a small saucepan. Cook it over low-medium heat until the alcohol is evaporated, roughly 30 seconds. Set aside

4Place sesame seeds in a frying pan and toast them on low-medium heat for a few minutes until lightly brown and fragrant. Place in a mortar and pound with a pestle, until finely ground. Place in a mixing bowl.

5To ground sesame, add mirin, miso paste, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil - stir well

6Once the water comes to a boil, add spinach and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain through a colander and immediately place under cold running water (or submerge in a bowl of iced water), to retain that bright green color.

7Once cool, gently squeeze extra water out of spinach, chop roughly, and place in a bowl. Add miso dressing and stir well.

8Refrigerate for about an hour. Serve chilled garnished with a drizzle of sesame oil and some toasted sesame seeds.

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