CHINESE TOSS SALAD

CHINESE TOSS SALAD
Fresh spinach, marinated mushroom, fresh pea pods, sweet orange, ringlets of onion and sliced almonds tossed with a garlic, ginger and soy dressing!

Serves 6

1/3 c. peanut oil

2 T. white vinegar

2 T. soy sauce

1 t. sugar

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 t. grated fresh peeled ginger

1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced into 1/8 inch thick slices

1/4 lb. fresh Chinese pea pods, washed, strings removed

1 lg. bunch fresh spinach, stems removed, washed and crisped

1 lg. orange, segmented, then each segment cut crosswise into 3rds

1/2 c. sliced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

1 handful thinly sliced sweet onion (smaller inner rings)

1/3 c. sliced almonds

In medium-sized bowl combine oil and vinegar. Stir briskly with fork till thickened. Add soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger; stir thoroughly.

Add mushrooms to dressing; stir to coat, then marinate till ready to serve.

Boil 2 cups of water. Remove from heat. Add pea pods and let set for 1 minute. Drain; rinse under cold water till cold, then drain again.

Prepare remaining vegetables and fruit, and refrigerate till ready to use. Keep spinach in air-tight container.

To assemble salad: Place spinach in large salad bowl. Pour dressing and mushrooms over spinach and toss. Add peas pods, orange, water chestnuts, onion and sliced almonds. Toss again till evenly dispersed. Spoon onto salad plates and serve at once.

Notes: A fabulous Chinese Toss Salad–full of texture, flavor and color. Serve as a main course.

To segment orange: Cut orange in half from nub to nub (end to end). Lay each half facing up. Cut along center white membrane directly in half. Then take each segment and cut it in half again the same way. And then once more, ending up with 4 segments per half. Now lay each segment on its side and cut off the strip of white membrane running a long the edge. Next, run a sharp knife between fruit and peel; lift out fruit and discard peel. Cut each segment crosswise into 3 pieces for this recipe.