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Purple Salad

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This monochromatic dish is equal parts easy and elegant.
purple salad recipe: close-up of purple sweet potato and radicchio salad with sesame seeds
Peden + Munk/More Is More

Yes, a kale Caesar is dependably tasty and simple. But when it comes to serving vegetables to guests, it can fall a bit flat. Enter this unconventional purple salad from Molly Baz’s new cookbook, More Is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen, which is primed to impress at your next cold-weather dinner party.

“This is a moody, monochromatic winter salad wherein almost every ingredient is purple,” explains Baz. “Should you not be able to find purple sweet potatoes, purple basil or blood oranges (I know, I know), everything will be fine with their non-purple counterparts. This is all about that spicy tahini-maple vinaigrette, anyway.”

To make the punchy dressing vegan-friendly, nix the fish sauce. But if no one at your table is allergic or opposed, we’d recommend keeping it in. It infuses every drop with a luxurious dose of earthy, savory umami.

More Is More Copyright © 2023 by Molly Baz. Photographs copyright © 2023 by PEDEN + MUNK. Illustrations Copyright © 2023 Claire McCracken. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.”


Ingredients

2 medium purple sweet potatoes

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup tahini

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1½ teaspoons fish sauce (optional)

1½ teaspoons maple syrup

1 garlic clove, grated

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

10 ounces radicchio

2 blood oranges

1 bunch purple basil

Flaky sea salt, for serving

Toasted sesame seeds, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Place them on a small rimmed baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil and season with kosher salt. Place cut-side down and roast until deeply golden on the bottom and very soft and tender throughout, 25 to 35 minutes, depending on their size.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, a couple tablespoons of olive oil, fish sauce (if using), maple syrup, garlic and a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. It will be very thick and pasty. Slowly whisk in a little bit of water until it reaches a drizzle-able consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Separate the leaves of the radicchio and tear them into bite-size pieces.

4. Cut away the peel and pith of the oranges and cut the flesh into asymmetrical shapes.

5. Pick the basil leaves off the stems.

6. Tear the warm sweet potatoes into 2-inch pieces and add to the bowl of dressing and salad. Season with flaky sea salt and liberally sprinkle with lots of toasted sesame seeds. Toss the salad gently with your hands to ensure all elements are coated in the dressing. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and top with more sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
  • 266 calories

  • 15g fat

  • 29g carbs

  • 6g protein

  • 11g sugars

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Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

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