From Faith — We’ve made this Cilantro-Garlic-Scallion Salad four times already at our house and see no reason to stop. The fact is, we want the sauce on everything, so we serve this as a side salad, or add things to make it a main course.
What’s fabulous about this salad is the clean, fresh taste of the ingredients, and the swoon-worthy dressing, which includes rice wine vinegar, garlic, dark toasted sesame oil, a touch of sugar, a dash of hot pepper, and chopped scallions, cilantro and cucumbers. Put it all together and it zings every taste bud in your mouth.
To make this a main dish salad, we add some type of shredded protein, including rotisserie duck or chicken we buy already made, fresh sliced tuna steak (not canned), chopped cooked shrimp, sliced beef steak, or sliced pork. Sliced fresh salmon or swordfish would work, too. (When we’re making this as a main course, we double the dressing.)
Just before serving we add a squeeze of fresh lime and top the whole thing with a generous portion of chopped roasted and salted peanuts, but, hey, that’s just us.
Seriously, this is our number one crazy delicious salad for summer, or all year, and it’s absurdly easy to make.
(We thank the Food Network magazine for giving us the basic idea for this salad, which we have adapted in a variety of ways.)
- 4 scallions
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 teaspoon each of toasted sesame oil, chili oil, and KOSHER salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 bunches cilantro, leaves and stems chopped
- 1 serrano chile sliced into thin strips
- 1 English cucumber cut into thin strips
- 1 handful salted, roasted peanuts, chopped
- Quarter the white parts of the scallions lengthwise; thinly slice the green parts. Soak it all in cold water for 15 minutes, then drain. (Sometimes we don't even bother to soak the scallions.)
- In a bowl whisk together the rice vinegar, garlic, and the sesame and chili oils, along with the sugar. Toss with all the drained scallions, the chopped cilantro, the serrano strips, and the cucumber strips. (Faith adds a quick spritz of fresh lime for brightness. Taste to see what you'd like to add, if anything. Our favorite is chopped salted, roasted peanuts on top just before serving.) This one's a winner - enjoy!
This salad was so easy to make and just the tastiest thing we’ve made all summer! I think we’re going to be whipping this recipe up weekly!
Cailie, Faith here. I’ve made this now so many times. Everyone seems to love it, and we’re so glad you do, too. Best to you and yours. FM.
This sounds wonderful–what do you think about adding garlic scapes?
I think that’s a fantastic idea. Cheers, Faith
Well, that’s a wonderful choice, Becky, even if we’re not in garlic scape season anymore. But, I bought pickled garlic scapes at some farmers markets this past summer so I might toss them in at your suggestion. Thank you so much, and cheers, Faith
I heard this cilantro-scallion salad discussed as I was driving last weekend. I’m not sure if it might have been a re-broadcast because of the holiday weekend. I decided to combine this with my summertime comfort food– taboulleh. I ditched the lemon and olive oil I usually use with taboulleh. I did add tomatoes. I didn’t have chili oil on hand, so I doubled the sesame oil and added some Chinese chili paste. Plus I’m big on using what is in the garden– the tomatoes and cukes are not quite ripe, so I had to buy those. But I used my own chives, cilantro, and four types of mint (peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint and grapefruit mine). Normally I would add basil and parsley to taboulleh, but I didn’t want to confuse the flavors. Try it, including a little ginger. It’s a weird combination of Asian and Middle Eastern flavors, but it works. And eating a really good cold salad on a hot, humid summer day is priceless.
Douglas, Faith here. you are terrific at this, not afraid to substitute for whatever you have around. Good for you!
Wow, Douglas. You are something else! I just love the way you made my recipe your own, and I adore that you combined global flavors. I continue to make this scallion-cilantro salad in the winter, when bright flavors seem just the thing to pair with heavy comfort foods. Besides, it’s a surprising salad when guests are expecting the usual greens. But let’s get back to killer cook you, sir. Keep on mixing those flavors with the creative passion you obviously have. And share it with us anytime. Happy holidays! Faith