Today, I would like to share with you a nice salad that combines both steamed & raw vegetables that takes very little preparation time. If you pre-washed all your vegetables (See my previous note), it is even quicker! It is also so versatile that you can make it as a light accompaniment, or a main dish, and change the taste from Italian, French, Japanese, Chinese, etc. very easily. You don’t lose valuable nutrients from traditional boiling or steaming. The trick is to use an anhydrous pot (無水鍋), a.k.a. dutch oven. You only need to spend a few minutes finalizing with fresh vegetables & toppings right before your meal.
Anhydrous Pot
This is one “must” tool for the kitchen. It is versatile — can be used over the stove or in the oven, and great for soups, stews and all sorts of other dishes. The anhydrous pot, sometimes called “dutch oven”, is a thick-walled pot with a tight-fitting lid. There are many brands available, such as Le Creuset, Vermicular, Staub, but my favourite is Silit by “WMF” (picture below). I find that foods taste much better!
Recipe
Flow
Step ① – Mix Seasoning
Place the following dressing ingredients into the pot & mix. You can use your favourite ready-made dressing, as long as it has oil (if it is non-oil, just add some). A rule of thumb is to put spices in ①, and fresh herbs in ⑤
| Comments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | tbsp. or | 15 | mL | oil | Some recommendations: – olive oil (French or Italian style) – sesame oil (Japanese or Chinese style) |
| 1 | tbsp. or | 15 | mL | vinegar | Some recommendations: – champagne vinegar – sherry vinegar – apple cider vinegar – balsamic vinegar – rice vinegar (for Japanese style) – Chinese black vinegar (for Chinese style) |
| 1/3 | tsp. or | 5 | mL | salt | – can replace with soy sauce for Japanese style – flavoured salts can be used |
| spices | Some recommendations: – bay leaf (1) – ground black pepper (1 tsp. / 5 mL) – mustard seeds (1 tsp. / 5 mL) |
Step ② – Add Vegetables to be Steamed
Cut vegetables to be steamed into bite-size pieces & place into the pot, and mix so that all the pieces are covered with the dressing. Here are some of my favourites:
Basic:
- Japanese turnip (Turns out so juicy! — make sure to cut into bite-sized wedges)
- Snap garden peas or snow peas
- Paprika / Capsicum / Green pepper
- Celery stalks
- Mushrooms
- Baby corn
Japanese Style:
- Myoga (茗荷) – Japanese ginger (this can be cut into quarters and added here, or chopped finely and added as a finishing herb)
- Lotus root (so crunchy!)
- Shiitake mushrooms
Step ③ – Heat
Cover with lid, and place over medium heat for 3 minutes, then remove from heat. Don’t open the lid until Step ⑤.
Step ④ – Let sit
Let the closed pot sit and cool for at least an hour.
I take advantage of this time to forget about the salad and do something else. Since you aren’t using any heat in this step, you can safely leave your house. When I return home, I just go straight to Step ⑤ and have supper ready in minutes.
Step ⑤ – Finalize: Add Fresh Vegetables & Toppings
Open the lid, mix in finishing fresh vegetables, herbs — place on serving plates & add toppings. You can serve in small plates as a side dish, together with a pate or terrine as a fancy appetizer, or on a large dinner plate with hearty toppings such as chicken, ham or tuna as a light supper.
Finishing Fresh Vegetable Examples:
- Cucumber
- Tomatoes / Cherry Tomatoes
- Lettuce / Baby Greens / Kale
- Edible Flowers
Herbs:
Herbs are not necessary, but takes the salad to the next level. Some of my favourites are:
- Parsley
- Italian Parsley
- Fresh Coriander
- Rocket / Rucola
- Chives
- Green Shiso Leaves (青葉)
- Myoga (茗荷) – Japanese ginger
Finishing Other Topping Examples:
- Bacon bits
- Cheese (grated Parmesan, cheddar blocks, Burrata / fresh mozzarella)
- Steamed chicken slices or cubes / Ham cubes / Tuna flakes — or any leftovers!
- Boiled eggs
- Lettuce / Baby Greens / Kale
- Whole grain mustard (mustard with seeds)
- Croutons
Example Photos
The below are some photos of my recent salads using this recipe.
 With Italian herbs |  With salmon terrine |
 Japanese style, with myoga & lotus roots |  As a side dish to a steak |
 As an appetizer for a wine night |  With a country pâté |
