Carrot Top & Radicchio Salad with Miso Ginger Vinaigrette

This salad takes me right back to some delicious childhood memories of my family and I dining at Benihana for birthdays, graduations, and basically all other life celebrations. [We were kind of Benihana obsessed.] Benihana is a Japanese restaurant that focuses on Teppanyaki - a style of Japanese cooking that uses an iron griddle over an open flame to cook food. Teppanyaki is typically enjoyed around a large table so diners can watch Teppan chefs skillfully work the iron grill.

Benihana was where I was first introduced to flavors like soy, ginger, and miso as a child - flavor inspirations behind this carrot top and radicchio salad. I loved the ginger butter slathered on rice and the ginger vinaigrette that dressed the salads at Benihana. These condiments seemed insignificant compared to the entire meal, but they were my favorite components of my dining experience at Benihana as a child.

Benihana also holds historical significance within U.S. food history. Benihana was founded by Rocky Aoki in Manhattan in 1964, not far after World War II - a time that was marked in the United States not only by the war and the Holocaust, but by deep anti-Japanese sentiments, propaganda, and Japanese internment camps. Needless to say, Rocky, a former Japanese Olympic wrestler, took a risk by introducing elements of Japanese cuisine to the American palate. Rocky’s risk opening Benihana eventually turned into a multi-million dollar business with 70 locations and the addition of two sushi chains, Haru and RA. While often criticized for Americanizing Japanese food, Rocky’s efforts to introduce Americans to Japanese cuisine and culture during a time of staunch suspicion of Japanese Americans, are significant and long lasting.

The addition of Miso to my version of a ginger vinaigrette adds a delicious, earthy, and creamy profile. Miso is a fermented soy bean paste made from soy beans, grain, salt, and Koji (a type of mold used for fermentation), that originated in China and was first introduced to Japanese cuisine around the 7th century. There are countless varieties of Miso - their flavors, textures and colors dependent on the type of grains that are used as well as the length of fermentation. Rice, barley and millet are common grains used to make Miso. Each type of Miso also has a different fermentation timeline, ranging from a few weeks to several years. White Miso, which is used in this recipe, is rice-based and has a sweeter taste than darker Misos. It tends to lend itself well to marinades and dressings, which is why I included it in my version of a ginger vinaigrette.

Sources:

1. The Origin & History of Miso

2. Ingredient Spotlight: The History of Miso

3. The Difference Between Hibachi and Teppanyaki

4. How Steve Aoki’s Wrestler Dad Turned Benihana into a Multimillion-dollar Empire

Ingredients

Salad

1. 1 cup mixed greens [I used a mix of arugula, frisée & spinach)

2. 2/3 cups shaved carrot

3. 1/3 cup carrot tops

4. 1/3 cup radicchio

5. 2 tablespoons chopped cashews

6. 1 scallion stalk

Dressing

1. 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2. 1 teaspoon soy sauce

3. 2 teaspoons minced ginger

4. 1/4 teaspoon white miso paste

5. 1 teaspoon lime juice

Prep time: 20 minutes

Total time: 20 minutes

Servings: 1 serving

Steps

1. Wash & shave carrots to remove outer skin. Shave enough carrot for 2/3 cups.

2. Wash & roughly chop carrot tops. Carrot tops can often hold a lot of dirt so make sure to wash & dry thoroughly before eating.

3. Wash & thinly slice radicchio into strips.

4. Roughly chop cashews.

5. Thinly slice scallion stalk.

6. Finely mince ginger [or alternatively buy pre-minced ginger].

7. In a small bowl, whisk together toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, minced ginger, miso & lime juice.

8. In a large bowl, mix together mixed greens, shaved carrot, carrot tops, radicchio, cashews & scallion. Drizzle miso ginger vinaigrette over salad & enjoy.