Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Better than bottled


Kanpai Ginger Salad Dressing
Favorite Restaurant Recipes Copyright 1982

½ cup soy oil I used canola oil
¼ cup soy sauce
1/3 cup diced onion
¼ cup diced celery
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons peeled, diced fresh ginger I used jarred ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon rind
½ teaspoon catsup
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients into blender or food processor and blend until vegetables are pureed. Store in covered jar. Shake thoroughly before using.

Makes about 1 ½ cups
______________________________

This dressing was sooooo good! The only thing that would make it better is if we could call it a soup instead and then I could eat it with a spoon. Don't laugh - try it first and then get back to me on that.

You can buy ginger dressings but the ones available to me are expensive and none that I've tried have been as good as this one. With some won ton strips and some grilled chicken, this salad really hit the spot.

This cookbook contains 500 recipes from the R.S.V.P column of Bon Appetit magazine. The recipe is from the Kanpai Japanese Restaurant in Philadelphia. I doubt it's still there since restaurants generally don't stay in business that long and I don't recall ever hearing about this restaurant when I lived in Philly, from the late 80s to the late 90s. I couldn't find any information on it. Their dressing will live on with me, that's for certain.

Question of the Day: Are there any restaurant recipes that you would like to have?
I can't think of any actual restaurant recipes but years ago I took a Royal Caribbean cruise and I loved the key lime pie they served. It had a creamy top layer. Years later I found a recipe for their pie, supposedly, but I could tell it wasn't the same since it didn't have a creamy top layer (or they changed it or my memory stinks). And a local grocery store chain used to sell an apple caramel dessert from a major dessert distributor but I haven't seen it in years. I would love to make something like that - one of the best things I've ever had. I found the ingredient list online but I haven't had it in so long, it would be hard for me to figure out how to duplicate it now. I need to taste it again.

6 comments:

Annie Jones said...

Thanks for posting this. I am trying to move away from bottled salad dressings, so I'm always open to trying a new homemade one. Especially one with a good recommendation. :)

Sheila said...

Oh my. Ginger and lemon--two of my most favorite flavors. I can't wait to try this one. I can't think of any restaurant recipes I would like to have. I do wish I had some of my Ma-Maw's recipes though. She didn't use written recipes and it was hard to get her to give amounts except for a pinch of this, a handful of that. Thanks for sharing this one. Take care.

Tracy said...

Looks good! Ketchup is an unexpected ingredient in an Asian recipe, isn't it?

I'd love the balsamic vinaigrette recipe like they serve at Panera Bread. A friend brought it to my house the other day and it was so good.

Mrs. L said...

I too, am trying to make my own dressings. I like that you substituted canola oil for the soy oil.

Terry said...

Definitely one to try! We love the salad dressings served at the hibachi-grill steakhouses, and this sounds and looks just like them. Only better because it's fresh and - as you pointed out - cheaper than buying theirs or the store varieties. Thanks for sharing and for the suggestion of grilled chicken and wonton strips!

sasmccurdy said...

My absolute favorite...and I wanted the Kanpai recipe!!! Thank you!