, photo by Roos Mestdagh, nutritional review by Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE
in Recipes, Side dish Avocado and radish salad with fennel and carrots
Ingredients
- 2 oz. (61⁄3 tbsp) 55 g (90 ml) sesame seeds
- 1⁄3 cup 80 ml tamari soy sauce
- 2 (41⁄3 oz.) 2 (120 g) carrot, very thinly slicedcarrots, very thinly sliced
- 6 oz. 170 g radishradishes
- 1 1 bulb fresh fennel
- 1 (7 oz.) 1 (200 g) avocadoavocados
- 2 oz. (1 cup) 55 g (230 ml) leafy greens
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the sesame seeds in a small bowl and add enough soy sauce to cover them. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, or until the soy sauce has been almost totally absorbed.
- Spread the marinated sesame seeds over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 10 minutes. Check the seeds frequently to avoid burning; they should dry evenly and become crispy (see tip).
- Peel the carrots and slice them, along with the radishes and fennel, as thinly as possible. This is best done with a mandoline but you can also slice them by hand. Pit, peel, and dice the avocado.
- Combine the sliced vegetables, avocado, leafy greens, and a generous splash of olive oil in a bowl. Season with pepper and toss gently.
- Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve.
Toasted or natural sesame seeds
I love to use toasted sesame seeds in this recipe instead of natural sesame seeds, because they already have more of the toasted flavor.
Marinated sesame seeds
If you can marinate the seeds for the full 24 hours, they become more flavorful (but don’t leave them any longer than a day). I usually marinate sesame seeds the evening before I need them.
Toasting sesame seeds
Check the seeds frequently to make sure they’re not burning. Let them dry evenly and become crispy. They should not become dark brown; take them out when they are lightly browned. If necessary, reduce the oven temperature and let them roast a little bit more. Make extras as you can keep them for a few days on a piece of waxed paper in a cool place and use them in other dishes. If they lose their crunch, put them back in the oven for a few minutes.
About the recipe
This recipe is part of a collaboration with Pascale Naessens and comes from her book "Pure & Simple"
