WHAT WE EAT AND HOW IT IS GROWN INTIMATELY AFFECTS OUR HEALTH AND THE WELL-BEING OF THE WORLD.

Wise words from the Founder of American Flatbread Pizza Company in Waitsfield, Vermont, George Schenk. As one of the first to speak out about the importance of food integrity and sustainability, he also happens to make the best wood-fired pizza in America. No meal is complete without a healthy serving of the one salad on the menu. This is a ginger forward, Asian-inspired, best with a mix of farmer's market or locally grown mess of mesclun. The mixture of greens creates tons of texture and tastes: think  a mix of spicy mustard greens, peppery arugula, or a bit of bitterness from curly endive leaves or radicchio. One taste of the dressing and the leftovers may just make it on to a baking tray of roasted veggies, or onto the sides of bread for a spread for paninis. Some, including my husband, use it as a stand alone elixir that just tastes so darn good straight from a spoon.

cuisine American
difficulty Simple
season Summer
serves 4

Ingredients for the Dressing

  • 1/3 cup fruit vinegar
  • 1/3 cup Tamari soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons ginger root, unpeeled and freshly grated
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/8 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup safflower oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Ingredients for the Salad

  • 4 cups mesclun mix
  • 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
  • 2 mini cucumbers, peel on, thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1 medium carrot
  • 2 scallions, white and light green parts only, sliced
  • 1 pint small cocktail tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup edamame, removed from shell
  • 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Directions for the Dressing

  1. In a food processor, add all the ingredients except the safflower and sesame oils, and the maple syrup.
  2. Process for 20 seconds. With the machine running, slowly add the oils and syrup to create an emulsified dressing.

Directions for the Salad

  1. In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together except the sesame seeds. 
  2. Lightly drizzle dressing over the salad and toss to thoroughly combine.
  3. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and pass the remaining dressing at the table.