Grapefruit and Wasabi

I don't know about you, but when I think about wasabi I think solely about sushi and grapefruit never crosses my mind. So when I heard that Dawn from Spatulas on Parade decided on wasabi and grapefruit for May's Crazy Ingredient Challenge, I felt a wee bit unsure about what to make.

At first I thought about making a new kind of sushi that featured grapefruit, but couldn't come up with the right concept. Then I thought of trying to make a grapefruit dessert with a spicy wasabi glaze, but I got scared off that idea before I started experimenting.

Finally I decided on reinventing one of my favourite side dishes, Miso Garlic Asian Greens. I subbed in wasabi for the red pepper flakes, grapefruit juice for the water, and made a few other small changes to make it unique. And who would have guessed it, but I came up with a dish that features wasabi and grapefruit and still manages to taste great!

Miso Wasabi Asian Greens - serves 4

1 1/2 pounds of green leafy veggies, any kind of veggie will work but I think ones with a stem and leaves or florets are best (broccoli, rapini, kale or any Asian veggies are great choices. I used Gai Lan, an Asian kale)

2 tablespoons oil

8 cloves of garlic, minced

4 thin carrots, peeled and chopped

2 teaspoons of wasabi

1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon miso paste

1 tablespoon grapefruit juice

1/2 teaspoon each of vinegar and brown sugar

1 grapefruit, sliced or cut into supremes  

1. Combine the wasabi, fish sauce, miso, grapefruit juice, vinegar, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Set aside. 

2. Wash the green veggies and separate the leaves or florets from the stems. Cut the stems into small bite sized pieces.  

3. Add oil and garlic to a large frying pan at medium heat and cook until the garlic starts to brown slightly, about 1 minute. 

4. Add the carrots and stems to the pan and stir to coat them in the garlic mixture. Cook about 5-8 more minutes to allow the veggies to soften. 

5. Add the leaves or florets and stir to coat them in the garlic. Now add in the miso wasabi mixture and stir to combine again. 

6. Cook until the veggie leaves begin wilt, or until the veggies are cooked to your liking. Scoop onto plates and top with a few segments of grapefruit for a cool bite. Enjoy!

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