Always in search of a new dressing to brighten a salad, I tried the dressing for the mizuna and plum salad listed on page 15 of the Rebar cookbook. It involves reducing fresh citrus juices and star anise over heat and then blending the result with some honey, ginger and oil. The result is a lovely pale orange colour which could probably be even cooler if you used pink or ruby grapefruit.
The dressing doesn't really taste like much by itself but its very subtle licorice flavour is a nice surprise when it dresses a salad. I didn't go on a great hunt for the recommended salad ingredients. Instead, I just used some stuff I had on hand....mesclun, avocado, romaine, sunflower seeds, kiwi, grapes. Very nice indeed! I recommend this if you are the sort of person who, like me, likes to make her own salad dressings.
