From Beaches with love: Beach House Salad recipeFree

Recipe in hand, I gathered up all of the easy-to-find ingredients, and set out to try my luck making the Beach House Salad at home.

First, I made the dressing. Easy enough, it was just a matter of combining ingredients in the blender and letting the blender do its thing.

Next, I made the cashews. All it took was a simple stir of ingredients on the stovetop, and then the coated cashews were transferred to the oven for a brief stint, leaving them fragrantly caramelized and golden. A small bit of slicing for the jicama and the snow peas, and I was ready to assemble the salad.

You can use mixed greens for the salad, maybe a mix of Romaine, iceberg, or even some shredded napa cabbage for added crunch.

The salad is delicious on its own, but you could also top it with grilled chicken, sauteed shrimp, or with grilled or blackened salmon.

Matthias warned that the cashew recipe would make a lot of cashews, which it did. Stored at room temp, they’re good for snacking.

The dressing recipe yields about a quart. It has no preservatives, so store it in the refrigerator and plan to use it within three to four days. Matthias also said that the restaurant uses a soy sauce that is gluten-free, which you could also do when making this at home.

For a local restaurant, it just doesn’t get any better. A fun spot for meeting with friends, or a nice place to celebrate something special, Beaches’ incredible view of the Columbia River and classic Northwest cuisine make it my No. 1 choice for dining with out-of-towners. Beaches hits the mark across the board for total dining-out experience. The food is on point, the servers are warm and attentive. It’s casual, but it’s nice. It consistently delivers a fun, friendly vibe, and it continues to be one of the best happy hours in town.

There you have it: You can make this famous salad in your own kitchen. It would be perfect for all your spring and summer gatherings — wedding or baby showers, luncheons, picnics. I am delighted to share this wonderful recipe with you.

Want to make something else you have been enjoying in a local restaurant in your own kitchen? Write to me and I will try to get the recipe for you. Watch here for more easy-to-make, delicious things you can make right at home.

Asian Honey Mustard Dressing

1 egg*

½ cup Grey Poupon mustard

1½ cups canola oil, divided

½ cup honey

1½ teaspoons ground white pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

⅛ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Kikkoman less-sodium soy sauce

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

Combine egg and Grey Poupon in blender container and blend until smooth. With blender running, remove lid plug and slowly drizzle in half of oil through opening, blending until emulsified. Add honey, white pepper, garlic, cider vinegar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and kosher salt. Cover opening and blend again. Remove lid plug and stream remaining oil through opening, blending until emulsified.

* If you are concerned about consuming raw eggs for health reasons, look for pasteurized eggs.

Caramelized Cashews

2 pounds cashew pieces

1 ounce butter

1 ounce honey

1 ounce Kikkoman less-sodium soy sauce

½ cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine butter, sugar, honey and soy sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to caramelize. Fold in cashews and stir to coat evenly. Remove from heat and spread cashews evenly on sheet pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool before removing from pan. Store at room temperature.

Beach House Salad

Serves 1

5 ounces mixed salad greens, such as Romaine, iceberg, field greens

¾ ounce snow peas, halved diagonally

1½ ounce jicama, cut into 1½-inch strips

1 teaspoon white and black sesame seeds

Grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or grilled salmon (optional)

Add desired amount of dressing to the bottom of a large mixing bowl then add greens, snow peas and jicama strips and lightly toss to mix. Mound salad on chilled plate or bowl. Sprinkle with caramelized cashews and sesame seeds. Top with grilled chicken, sautéed shrimp, or grilled salmon, if desired.