Lots of pasta salads seem redundant, but this one has a unique combination of ingredients and a tangy Asian dressing that make it memorable. When charming Linda Grimes served it to friends for lunch, we all wanted the recipe. The technique of marinating the cooked pasta in the dressing for at least two hours is a good one to remember for any pasta salad.
Dressing:
2/3 cup Yoshidas gourmet sauce (or any good teriyaki sauce)
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
6 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Salad:
8 ounces bow tie pasta cooked al dente
8 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 cup of Craisins (dried cranberries)
2 oranges, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bunch of green onion tops, sliced
1/4 cup of toasted sesame seeds
2 cups cooked diced chicken
Make the dressing ahead of time, in a blender or food processor. Cook the pasta. Marinate the pasta in the dressing for at least two hours. Save extra dressing for the salad when finished as needed.
Drain the pasta, and put it into a salad bowl. Except for the sesame seeds, add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss with some of the remaining dressing; adding more as needed. Sprinkle the seeds over the salad and serve. Serves 6 to 8.
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