Baby Tatsoi Salad with Warmed Sea Scallops and Wasabi-Dried Peas

A Sassy Green Packed Full of Nutrition

Baby Tatsoi Salad with Warmed Sea Scallops and Wasabi-Dried Peas

Serves 4

Farmers’ markets are gearing up for the season, and you may find your local farmer selling baby tatsoi. Why baby? Baby greens are harvested when they’re at their peak for taste, tenderness, and color. They are carefully picked when young so their flavors and colors remain lively and intense.

Tatsoi is an ancient green with a mild, mustardy flavor. It tastes like a cross between spinach and bok choy. When young, it looks like little green roses. It has dark-green, spoon-shaped leaves and white stalks. This versatile Chinese green is delicious when included in stir-fries or soups or when eaten raw in salads.

Packed full of vitamins and minerals, tatsoi is high in anti-oxidants. It is so healthy it has been nicknamed “vitamin green”.

If you come across baby tatsoi at your farmers’ market or specialty food store, don’t be afraid to give it a try. If you can’t find it, Organic Girl® Super Greens makes a great substitute. This mix contains baby red chard, baby bok choy, baby tatsoi, baby spinach, baby green chard, mizuna, and baby arugula. If you want a spicy flavor, substitute arugula. For a milder taste, use spinach.

Following is a recipe that made a big hit at my house. Since tatsoi has Asian roots, I used rice wine vinegar and soy sauce to make my vinaigrette and added wasabi-dried peas, soy nuts, and edamame to the salad mix.

For the sesame vinaigrette: 

• ⅓ cup rice wine vinegar

• 2 teaspoons Chinese hot chili garlic sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ⅓ cup sesame oil

In a medium bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. 

Add sesame oil slowly and whisk until emulsified. 

 For the scallops:

• 1 tablespoon flour

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• ¾ teaspoon ground cumin

• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, cumin, and cayenne. Remove any tough muscle from scallops if necessary. Roll scallops in the flour mixture, coating evenly.  In a heavy skillet, heat butter and olive oil over a medium-high heat until foam subsides.  Sauté scallops, until golden and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.  Remove from the skillet and place on paper towels to drain. Cool slightly. 

For the salad: 

• 8 cups baby tatsoi, or your favorite greens

• 1 cup shelled edamame, about 8 ounces

• ½ cup soy nuts

• 1 cup wasabi-dried peas

• 2 large avocados, sliced

In a large serving bowl, place tatsoi, edamame, soy nuts, peas, and avocados.  Drizzle with vinaigrette, top with cooled scallops, and toss gently to combine. 

Tips on selecting baby tatsoi: If you’d like to try this unusual green, look for leaves that are crisp, have a fresh dark-green color, and seem light for their size.  Pass up specimens that are yellow or wilting.

Tips on storing baby tatsoi: When you get your baby tatsoi home, store the leaves by wrapping them gently in slightly damp paper towels. Seal them in a plastic or reusable bag and refrigerate. Before using, rinse the leaves in cool water to remove any dirt or grit.  Drain them on paper towels, pat them dry, or swirl them in a salad spinner. 

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market and Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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