Tyson Cole and Jessica Dupuy’s Uchi Salad

Sushi Zu:

• Wipe kombu with wet paper towel until all salt sediment has been removed.

• Whisk remaining ingredients together in a small sauce pot over medium-low heat until sugar has dissolved.

• Let the kombu steep for 10 minutes before removing. • Refrigerate Sushi Zu for later use.

Edamame-jalapeno dressing:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

• Combine edamame, garlic, shallots and vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Sweat the mix until ingredients become translucent.

• Strain and reserve oil.

• Place 2 or 3 whole jalapeños on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

• Let jalapeños cool, then peel and seed.

• Place vegetables in a blender along with the remaining raw jalapeños (seeds included). Start with a small amount of water, and purée, slowly adding more water.

• Add Sushi Zu.

• Emulsify by slowly adding the reserved oil while blending. Consistency should be about the same viscosity of mayonnaise.

Bell pepper piperade:

• Combine the first 5 ingredients and sweat vegetables until tender.

• Add paprika and remove from heat.

• When mixture has cooled down, add chopped parlsey. • Reserve at room temperature for later use.

To assemble the salad:

• Rinse and towel dry whole lettuce leaves.

• Place lettuce leaves, stem down into two shot glasses, creating a bouquet-like arrangement in each glass.

• Add a small squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt on the leaves.

• In another small vessel or cup, partially fill with edamame-jalapeño dressing.

• Spoon a small amount of the room-temperature piperade on top of the dressing to finish.

This article appears in July 2012.