Japanese Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh spinach leaves, rinsed

3 tbsp. sesame seeds

2 tbsp. superfine sugar

2 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add spinach and let cook until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Turn spinach out into a colander and rinse with cold water. Once cool, squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach.

Chop spinach and place in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add sesame seeds. Stir sesame seeds until toasted. Place the seeds in a small bowl or in a mortar. Crush the seeds and finely ground them. Stir in the sugar and continue to crush the mixture. Add the soy sauce and stir to combine. Combine the sesame-soy mixture with the spinach and mix well. The spinach salad can be prepared one day in advance. Cover salad and refrigerate overnight. Makes four small servings.