- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 2 servings
This crunchy, refreshing salad studded with purple beets, Asian pear, and hazelnuts is complemented by a fragrant dressing of ginger and white miso. "For me, this salad embodies the Japanese saying 'shokuyoku no aki,' meaning 'the appetite of the fall season,' when we look to make dishes a bit heartier and more warming," says chef Shota Nakajima of Taku in Seattle, who shared this recipe with Food & Wine. "This salad combines the earthy sweetness of beets with the crisp acidity of Asian pear, and the complementary textures of the ingredients will keep you coming back for seconds. Simply dressed with an umami-forward miso-honey dressing and finished with toasted hazelnuts and Parmesan cheese, this dish can incorporate any root vegetables or tree fruits." You can speed up your salad prep by using store-bought sliced cooked beets in place of homemade.
Ingredient:
- 2 medium (about 6-ounce) beets
- 2 cups blanched hazelnuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon shichimi togarashi
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large (about 12-ounce) Asian pear
- 10 ounces mizuna (about 10 cups) or arugula
- Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- Miso-Honey Dressing
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon white miso (such as Hikari)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger (from 1 [2-inch] piece ginger)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
