Bok Choy Salad

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup sliced almonds
½ cup (1 bottle) sesame seeds
2 (3-ounce) packages of ramen noodles (remove seasoning packet)
1 bunch bok choy, green and white parts, thinly sliced
8 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Dressing
¾ cup canola oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

1. Spray a skillet with non-stick spray. Melt the stick of butter and add the sugar. Stir until it dissolves.

2. Add the almonds, sesame seeds and ramen noodles, which have been crushed while still in the package. Try hitting the package with a rolling pin before opening to break up the noodles. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until everything is well-coated with the butter. Watch closely, because the noodles can burn easily. Remove from heat when everything turns golden- this shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.

3. Cool and store the topping until ready to toss.

4. Combine dressing ingredients (oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce) in a small jar and shake to mix well.

5. When ready to serve, toss together the bok choy, onions, and noodle mixture in a large bowl (save a bit of the noodle mixture to garnish the top). Add the dressing a little at a time until all the bok choy is well coated, and toss thoroughly.

Notes
• This makes a whole lot of noodle topping. You could easily double the amount of bok choy in the recipe and still have plenty of noodles and dressing to go around. If I use just one bunch of bok choy, I use only half the noodles.

• I never use all the dressing in one sitting. It will keep for another round or two of salad in a few days. You will probably still have some noodle mixture left over, too.

• Bok Choy is really the best green for this the recipe, although other lettuces would be delicious, too. It has a lovely, mild flavor and the leaves have a velvety texture. Use the crisper, white part of the stem, too – it is mild and crunchy. It also adds texture and color contrast. It really is shocking that something so good for you actually tastes great.

• The plain salad is delicious – but you can add so much to make it really spectacular. Try a little chopped red or yellow bell pepper and some bright red sliced radishes for color. Fresh herbs like oregano, cilantro, parsley or basil brighten the flavor, while the addition of tangy arugula lettuce makes a nice contrast to the milder bok choy. Diced cucumber, carrot rounds, chopped celery – all would be wonderful additions. I would not add tomatoes, however. Their flavor and texture competes with the noodle topping.

• If you want to lower the fat, use less butter for the noodle sauté. The full dose is yummy, but you really need just enough butter to coat the ingredients and brown them. Cut the portion down to half a stick, and test for taste and texture. Or, start with 2 tablespoons and see if you like the result – you can always add more.