Spicy Green Salad with Soy & Roasted Garlic Dressing

Directions

To prepare dressing:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Rub excess papery skin off garlic head without separating cloves.

Slice the tip off, exposing the ends of the cloves.

Place the garlic head on a piece of foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and wrap into a package.

Put in a baking dish and bake until the garlic is very soft, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Unwrap and let cool slightly.

Increase oven temperature to 450ºF.

Squeeze the garlic pulp into a blender or food processor (discard the skins). ]

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, ginger, sesame oil and soy sauce; blend or process until smooth.

Season with pepper.

To prepare salad:

Toss asparagus with 2 teaspoons oil, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast, stirring once halfway through, until tender and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, season a wooden salad bowl by rubbing with ½ clove garlic and a pinch of salt.

Chop the garlic and add to the bowl along with all the greens.

(If leaves are large, tear them into bite-size pieces first.) Pour ¼ cup of the dressing over the greens.

(Cover and refrigerate the remaining ½ cup dressing for up to 3 days.)

Sprinkle the salad with sesame seeds and the asparagus; toss and serve.

Note: To toast sesame seeds, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.