Toasted Sesame Miso Dressing

I wasn't sure I would like this, but it is really good. It makes quite a bit but that's okay cause it's so yummy. I did the salad bar tip and my kids loved it.

This one is very yummy - not only on salads but I did a salmon on the BBQ and poured it all over it - it was excellent. Make a big batch and store it in the fridge for the week ahead. Good one guys!!

I've been buying miso and sesame salad dressing for the past year or so. I can't wait to try to make it myself!

I found Szechuan Peppercorns at a local Asian food store in, of all places, the snack food isle. The regular spice isle was devoid of this item. I did not buy them because the country of origin was China. Due to melamine contaminated pet foods, questionable pesticide practices, and relatively lax regulatory standards for imported foods, I am wary of purchasing foods that are produced in China. Do you know if Szechuan Peppercorns are produced elsewhere, and if there might be a mail order source for, say, a domestic product? Thank you

Here are a couple of articles regarding szechuan peppercorns that you might find helpful http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Zant_pip.html http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/szechuan.html As for buying them from a source that you feel comfortable with, we will leave that up to you. Alternatively, here is a link that I found on how to grow and harvest your own szechaun peppercorns http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/dec/13/szechuan-pepper-chinese-five-spice I can tell from this comment and your previous comments that you are quite interested in the history of food and spices (which is great by the way); therefore, you may want to consider buying yourself a few books on these massive and highly interesting subjects. In fact, there are several books dedicated to "The History of Food" and "The History of Spices". Cheers!

Yes Dawn, you are absolutely right. I am very interested in the history of food and history of spices. I glean information from various sources, but for some reason, did not think to search Amazon for food history books :) Thank you again for the suggestions. I will order these books tonight and check out the szechuan links in the next couple of days. There are several academics in my family, and since I cook for family events, I find myself under a barrage of questioning -- in a good way -- and sometimes I know the answers, but often I find myself shrugging my shoulders. Wikipedia is only so good for such esoteric information. For example, last Wednesday the dinner conversation started with gluten-free diets, to 1970's gluten roasts & TVP, to fast food and filler technology, to the birthplace of teff & quinoa, to food allergies, and on to chipotle peppers and why they are not ubiquitous in American cuisine -- because they are so good! (My nephews were raving because they thought that the quinoa salad contained bacon.) Little did they know that smoked flavors come in many different forms :) If you hadn't guessed, I made the Rouxbe quinoa and black bean salad -- so many questions, so little time. I appreciate your help. I enjoy these subjects, but feel a bit overwhelmed at times because many are not easily answered in my online or cookbook libraries.

Rebecca I hear you when you say "I enjoy these subjects, but feel a bit overwhelmed at times because many are not easily answered in my online or cookbook libraries." and to this I would say, don't get too overwhelmed, remember that knowing how to cook the food is the most important part. Of course knowing where things came from and what their role was in history is interesting and even important but it should be fun. That the great part about cooking the learning never ever ends! Keep up the good work Rebecca. Btw, dinners at your family get togethers sounds very interesting and fun! Cheers.

I make simple miso vinaigrettes all the time and was skeptical that the extra ingredients and steps here would be worth it. It definitely is. This stuff is fantastic and very versatile. Can't wait to try it on more stuff this week! And to the earlier question about sourcing Sichuan peppercorns, Whole Foods carries certified organic Sichuan peppercorns from a company called Spicely Organic Spices.

Thank you Franklin- We're glad you liked the recipe. It does have a very complex flavor that compliments many foods. Cheers!

Wow., this dressing is fantastic and super easy to make!

Any good alcohol-free substitution for the Mirin ?

Hi Grégory, I like to use verjus (unfermented wine-grape juice) in situations like this, though I know it isn't always available in all areas. You can omit the mirin in this recipe, you just may need to adjust for taste with some more rice wine vinegar, and perhaps a bit of water or veg stock for consistency. Good luck! Cheers, Sandy

Thanks a lot Sandy! I was able to find some organic locally produced verjus. What a nice discovery! A great fruity and grape flavor, with a bit of acidity but not too much. I used it for this recipe, and it turned out really good. It will also be a good substitute in the future for other recipes that call for wine, and where you want to still have that acidic grape flavor.

Hi Grégory, I am so happy to introduce you to this fun ingredient! Cheers, Sandy