Japanese Restaurant Salad

• 3 medium-size carrots, peeled and cut into about 1-inch chunks
• 1 piece (2-inches) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into disks
• 1 shallot, minced, or 1/4 cup minced onion
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, or 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup canola, peanut, or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil (see Notes)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons miso paste (optional, but recommended)
• 2 teaspoons mirin (optional; see Notes)
• 6 to 7 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce (about 1 1/2 heads lettuce or 2 hearts of romaine)
• 1/2 cup shredded peeled carrots
• 1/2 cucumber (preferably seedless or English), peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
• Handful of cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 cup steamed tiny broccoli florets (optional)

1. Make the Japanese carrot-ginger dressing: Place the carrot chunks, ginger, shallot or onion, rice vinegar, canola oil, sesame oil, and sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
2. Pulse until well combined.
3. Add the miso and mirin, if using, and 1/4 cup of water and puree until nicely blended and fairly smooth.
4. If you want your dressing a little thinner, you can add another tablespoon or two of water and puree again.
5. Make the salad: Place the lettuce, shredded carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, and broccoli, if using, in a large serving bowl and drizzle about 12 cup of the dressing on top, or more if desired.
6. Toss the salad and serve.

carrots, fresh ginger, shallot, rice vinegar, canola, asian, sugar, miso paste, mirin, carrots, cucumber, handful of cherry, broccoli

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/japanese-restaurant-salad (may not work)