Asparagus Sesame Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp roasted sesame oil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 tsp coarse salt
1 ½ cups baby arugula or mesclun salad
2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Preparation:

Heat a large pan of lightly salted water to boiling over high heat. Peel the asparagus stalks and trim the ends. Cut the stalks diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Blanch in boiling water 3 minutes or until bright green. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro, and salt. Add the asparagus and toss until well combined.
To serve, pile some salad greens on each of 4 plates. Spoon the dressed asparagus onto the greens and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings.