Wasabi-Miso Vinaigrette

One of my great pleasures is the simple salad with one of my own homemade dressings. I have a lot of different ones. from Asian soy and sesame to honey mustard, all prepared from simple ingredients by yours truly. Here is one of my dressings that sometimes gets more attention than the rest of the entire meal. Make this and keep it in the fridge--it will easily keep a month if you don't use it up first (this recipe makes about 6-10 servings depending on how much you like to use). It is also a good idea to make this a day before you plan to serve it--it allows the flavors to mix and the garlic to mellow in the vinegar.

Wasabi-Miso Vinaigrette

4 Tablespoons Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
1 Teaspoon White Miso Paste
3/4" of Prepared Wasabi (from tube)
1/2 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil

Combine all ingredients except oil and stir together--you want to make sure the miso dissolves. Once you've ensured that there isn't a miso clump still there, add your oil. Refrigerate over night before serving to allow the "heat" of the garlic to mellow in the balsamic vinegar. This dressing is good enough to drink, and with a couple teaspoons drizzled over a mixed green salad, you have a side dish or a snack worth committing seppuku for. Oh, and you can easily cut the olive oil to a teaspoon, but you do want some to help the dressing "cling" to your salad.

Remember to shake, stir or whirl this before serving, though, as the garlic and other goodies tend to settle in the bottom, and if not the first person you serve will end up getting all the oil on their salad!