All dressed up in sesame seed - includes recipes

Sunset, May, 1995 by Christine Weber Hale

It's more than just decoration in these two salads

Black and White sesame seed, combined, make a handsome, crunchy coating for meats and cheeses.

The two kinds of sesame seed have the same rich, nut-like flavor. Black sesame seed, which is a bit chewier, is found in well-stocked supermarkets or Asian groceries.

Black and White Chicken with Sesame Slaw

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup firmly packed fresh cilantro (coriander), minced

3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 chicken breast halves (about 1 1/2 lb. total), boned and skinned

1/3 cup black sesame seed

1/3 cup white sesame seed

8 large radicchio leaves, rinsed and crisped

8 cups (about 1/2 lb.) finely shredded cabbage

Fresh cilantro sprigs

Mix vinegar, minced cilantro, sesame oil, soy sauce, and mustard. Rinse chicken, pat dry; place in a deep bowl. Pour half the vinegar dressing over chicken and turn pieces to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day, turning occasionally. Cover and chill remaining dressing.

Put black and white sesame seed in a 7- to 8-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Shake pan often until seed begins to pop and white seed is lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour seed from pan into a shallow bowl; let cool.

Lift chicken from dressing-marinade, draining briefly; discard marinade. Coat each chicken piece thickly with seed, then lay slightly apart in a 9- by 13-inch pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 425 [degrees] oven until meat is no longer pink in the thickest part (cut to test), 12 to 15 minutes.

On each of 4 dinner plates, arrange 2 radicchio leaves to form a large cup. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange 1 breast half in each radicchio cup. Mix cabbage with half the reserved dressing and mound beside radicchio cups. Spoon remaining dressing over chicken. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serves 4.

Per serving: 461 cal. (47 percent from fat); 47 g protein; 24 g fat (3.7 g sat.); 16 g carbo.; 742 mg sodium; 99 mg chol.

Sesame-dressed Greens with Sesame-crusted Goat Cheese

1 log (5 1/2 oz.) unripened chevre (goat) cheese, chilled

1/3 cup black or white sesame seed

1 large egg white

1 head (about 5 oz.) butter lettuce, rinsed and crisped

1 small head (about 5 oz.) radicchio, rinsed and crisped

Sesame dressing (recipe follows)

2 teaspoons butter or margarine

Baguette slices (optional)

Cut goat cheese into 6 equal rounds. Pour sesame seed into a small, shallow bowl. In another small bowl, beat egg white to blend.

Coat 1 cheese round at a time with egg white. Drain cheese briefly, then coat with seed. Set slice on a plate. Repeat to coat remaining pieces of cheese and set slightly apart. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 4 hours. Tear lettuce and radicchio into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, mix leaves with dressing, then spoon equally onto 6 salad plates.

In an 8- to 10-inch nonstick frying pan, melt 1 teaspoon butter ever medium high heat. When butter sizzles, add half the cheese slices and cook until bottoms are crusty, about 1 minute. With a spatula, turn rounds over and brown bottoms again, about 1 minute longer. As cooked, return cheese to plate and keep warm. Add remaining butter to pan and brown remaining cheese. Place 1 cheese slice on each salad and serve at once. Accompany with baguette slices. Serves 6.

Per serving: 208 cal.; (78 percent from fat); 7.5 g protein; 18 g fat (3.3 g sat.); 6.1 g carbo.; 214 mg sodium; 34 mg chol.

Sesame dressing. Mix 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (or 3 tablespoons rice vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon sugar), 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger.