Pressed Salad with Sesame Umeboshi Tahini
I never understood what a “pressed salad” was, until I mastered the fine art of making this ultimate salad. Any raw vegetables can be used, because they are quite literally “pressed” or marinated with umeboshi plum and apple cider vinegar, until the raw and watery quality is released, and removed, preserving the pressed/marinated/naturally pickled, rich in digestive enzyme, alkalizing, vitamin, mineral, and fiber rich healthiness of the brightly colored and mineral rich red and green cabbage, gently cleansing and naturally diuretic red radish, calcium and iron rich collard greens, live energy sunflower sprouts, crispy bites of fresh romaine lettuce, and pungent and liver friendly baby arugula, all served with a flavorful side of high in calcium sesame tahini, and alkalizing and digestive umeboshi vinegar dressing.
Pressed Salad with Sesame Umeboshi Tahini
Ingredients: salad
¼ cup red cabbage ~ thinly sliced
¼ cup green cabbage ~ thinly sliced
¼ cup chinese cabbage ~ thinly sliced
¼ cup carrot ~ julienne
¼ cup radish ~ sliced into rounds
¼ cup collard greens ~ thinly sliced
½ cup baby arugula
½ cup romaine lettuce
1 cup sunflower sprouts
1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Sea salt
Preparation: salad
Place red cabbage in a bowl or pickle press with 1/3 of the umeboshi vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well. Then cover with a plate, and allow to marinate, or “press” for 30 minutes or longer until liquid begins to release.
Place carrots in another bowl and repeat the same process.
Place radish in another bowl and repeat the process again.
Place green cabbage in a bowl with 1/3 of the apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix well. Then cover with a plate, and allow to marinate, or “press” for 30 minutes or longer until liquid begins to release.
Place chinese cabbage in another bowl and repeat the process.
Place collard greens in a third bowl and repeat the process again.
While above vegetables are marinating, wash and drain the arugula, romaine lettuce, and bean sprouts.
Tear the romaine lettuce into bite size pieces.
Leave the baby arugula whole.
Cut sprouts into bite size pieces
Place all in a large serving bowl.
Ingredients: sesame umeboshi tahini
4 tablespoons roasted or raw sesame tahini
1/4 cup umeboshi vinegar
1/3 cup spring water
Preparation: sesame umeboshi tahini
Place the tahini into a mixing bowl
Add umeboshi vinegar and water and stir the mixture until it becomes creamy.
Add additional water to achieve a thinner dressing
Adjust umeboshi vinegar to taste
Transfer dressing to appropriate serving bowl
Complete pressed salad assembly:
Drain the liquid from each bowl of vegetables
Delicately and artfully drape each vegetable in between the lettuce, arugula, and sprout mixture so that the fresh vegetables are intertwined with the pressed vegetables, and serve with sesame umeboshi tahini on the side
*fresh vegetables may be omitted
*any vegetables may be used, feel free to experiment
*pressing longer results in a stronger pickled effect
*pressing the red and orange vegetables in the umeboshi vinegar brings out their brilliant hues of color.