Name: Shiitake Banh Mi Salad
Prep time: 22 min
Cook time: 52 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 0.5 cup rice vinegar; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 pinch salt; 1 scant cup radishes (thinly sliced); 1 scant cup cucumbers (thinly sliced); 4 tablespoons almond butter; 3 tablespoons pickling liquid; 1 tablespoon sriracha ((or more to taste)); 1.5 tablespoons water; 1 pinch salt; 1 tablespoon peanut oil; 0.5 lb shiitake mushrooms (stems trimmed); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce; 12 oz crisp salad greens ((like romaine)); 0.5 cup mint leaves; 0.5 cup cilantro

Instructions

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1

Stir together the rice vinegar (0.5 cup), sugar (2 tbsp) and salt (1 pinch). Toss in the cup radishes (1 scant) and cup cucumbers (1 scant) to coat. Let them rest for about an hour, giving them a stir with your hands every so often.
2

Mix together almond butter (4 tbsp), pickling liquid (3 tbsp), sriracha (1 tbsp), water (1.5 tbsp) and salt (1 pinch). You may need a little more water to thin it out to coat the salad, and adjust sriracha to your taste.
3

Preheat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in the peanut oil (1 tbsp), then add the shiitake mushrooms (0.5 lb). Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Uncover and cook for 3 more minutes until slightly browned. Add the garlic (2 cloves) and saute for 1 minute. Finally, add the tamari or soy sauce (1 tbsp) and stir until incorporated.
4

Toss the crisp salad greens (12 oz) with the dressing to coat. Arrange the greens and top with the pickled veggies. Sprinkle with mint leaves (0.5 cup) and cilantro (0.5 cup), then top with the shiitake mushrooms (0.5 lb). Serve immediately.