Arugula, sweet potato, and walnut salad with dashi "vinaigrette"

Indulge in the perfect blend of peppery arugula, roasted sweet potato, and crunchy walnuts, all drizzled with a flavorful dashi "vinaigrette". Enhance your salad game!

Ingredients:

• 450g (500g) sweet potatoes in jackets, poked all over with a fork
• 1 cup walnut halves (90g; 90g), crumbled
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 cups (475ml) cold water
• 1/110g dried kombu (8g; about one 5- by 2-inch piece)
• 1/110g dried bonito flakes (8g; 1 loosely packed cup)
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) soy sauce
• 4 cups arugula (70g; 70g)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave until soft and easily pierced with a fork, which should take approximately 5 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly. Optionally, you can peel and discard the skins before cutting them into medium-sized cubes. Let the cubes cool down to room temperature.
2. In the meantime, place walnuts on a microwave-safe plate and drizzle them with just enough olive oil to coat lightly. Mix well to ensure all walnuts are coated, then spread them out evenly in a single layer. Microwave them in 1-minute intervals at high power, making sure to toss the walnuts between intervals. They should become toasted and aromatic after about 3 minutes. Let them cool down.
3. Combine water and kombu in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until it is almost simmering. Remove the kombu using tongs, then take the saucepan off the heat. Add bonito flakes and let them steep for 10 minutes. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof container. Discard the bonito flakes. (Refer to the note for more information.)
4. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of dashi with soy sauce (this mixture will now be referred to as shoyu-dashi). Save the remaining dashi for another purpose, such as a comforting broth or making a quick miso soup.
5. In another clean small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of shoyu-dashi with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Save the extra shoyu-dashi for future use, as it can be used as a delicious broth for poached eggs, steamed fish, or simple vegetables.
6. In a salad bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, walnuts, and arugula. Pour the shoyu-dashi and oil mixture over the salad, ensuring everything is evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Summary:

• Calories: 1467 kcal
• Fat: 107 g
• Protein: 31 g
• Carbs: 115 g
• Potassium: 2559 mg
• Magnesium: 385 mg