Miso-Glazed Scallops with Asparagus Salad and Sesame-Ginger-Miso Dressing

This is the perfect entree salad.  It is substantial, yet light.  It is both fresh and verdant but also earthy and loaded with umami flavor.  The combination of scallops and asparagus is mingles beautifully with the japanese miso glaze.  YUM.

Miso is a paste made from fermented rice and soybeans.  It is then aged and comes in a variety of colors, the colors getting deeper with increasing age.  I prefer red miso which is medium in it's intensity.  You can find miso in the refrigerated section of any Asian grocery.

When making this dish, prepare the dressing and toss with baby greens, then grill the asparagus before the scallops.  The scallops will only take a few miutes.

Miso-Glazed Scallops with Asparagus Salad and Sesame-Ginger-Miso Dressing
serves 8

For the Scallops
2 lbs sea scallops
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup mirin
1/3 cup red miso paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
bamboo skewers soaked in cold water

Combine sake, mirin, miso, brown sugar and soy sauce in a bowl an whisk to combine.  Place scallops in a large sealable plastic bag, add glaze and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Place two bamboo skewers side by side and slide about 5 or 6 scallops onto the skewers.  Grill over high heat until the scallops are just opaque and beginning to caramelize.  Serve hot with Asparagus salad.

For the Asparagus Salad
2 lbs Asparagus
4 quarts water
4 Tbsp salt
4 cups ice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb mixed baby greens
1 cup toasted sliced almonds

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.  Add salt and return to a boil.  Add asparagus.  and cook until the water just begins to boil again.  Immediately drain the asparagus and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water.

When asparagus are cold, drain and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Grill the asaparagus over high heat until they just begin to char.  Place hot asparagus on a bed of baby greens tosses with sesame-ginger-miso dressing.  Top with additional dressing and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Sesame Ginger Miso Dressing
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp red miso paste
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into chunks
1 large clove garlic.

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.