# Uni and Salmon Roe Salad with Mixed Chicories and Herb-Sesame Dressing > Sweet, custardy uni and briny salmon roe turn a crisp salad into something worth lingering over. Tender lettuce, bitter radicchio, and sweet peppers carry a bright herb-sesame dressing that leaves room for the seafood to shine. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/uni-ikura-salad-with-creamy-yuzu-sesame-dressing - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2022-10-20 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free, nut-free, pescatarian ![Uni and Salmon Roe Salad with Mixed Chicories and Herb-Sesame Dressing](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F0a1fe4e276d0c96c.jpg) ## Mixed Lettuce, Radicchio, and Sweet Pepper Salad Tender greens catch the dressing while radicchio adds enough bitterness to balance the rich uni. Thinly sliced vegetables give crunch without overwhelming the delicate seafood. ### Ingredients - 5 oz mixed tender lettuces, washed and thoroughly dried - 1 small head radicchio, about 5 oz, leaves torn into bite-size pieces - 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced - 4 mini sweet peppers, preferably orange and red, seeded and thinly sliced - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds ### Instructions 1. Tear the lettuce into generous bite-size pieces. Combine with the radicchio, cucumber, and peppers in a large bowl. 2. Refrigerate until ready to serve; keep the leaves dry and undressed. 3. Immediately before serving, toss with just enough herb-sesame dressing to give the leaves a thin, glossy coating. Scatter with the sesame seeds. ### Notes - If the radicchio is especially bitter, soak the torn leaves in ice water for 10 minutes, then spin completely dry. ## Herb-Sesame Vinaigrette A small amount of tahini helps the dressing cling to the leaves. Rice vinegar and lemon sharpen the salad, while restrained tamari adds depth without competing with the roe. ### Ingredients - 1 tbsp tahini, well stirred - 1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar - 2 tsp fresh lemon juice - 1 tsp gluten-free tamari - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil - 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley - 1 tbsp finely snipped chives - 1–2 tbsp cold water, as needed ### Instructions 1. Whisk together the tahini, rice vinegar, lemon juice, and tamari. It may initially tighten; whisk in 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. 2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and sesame oil, then stir in the parsley and chives. 3. Adjust with additional water until pourable and lightly creamy, not thick like a dip. Taste with a salad leaf; keep the dressing slightly under-salted because the roe will supply substantial seasoning. ### Notes - Add the dressing gradually when tossing; any excess can be refrigerated separately. ## Fresh Uni and Salmon Roe Keeping both toppings cold and adding them after tossing preserves the uni's delicate shape and the roe's clean, popping texture. ### Ingredients - 160 g fresh uni lobes, sold for raw consumption by a trusted seafood supplier - 100 g salt-cured salmon roe, ready to eat, with no added sugar or gluten-containing seasoning ### Instructions 1. Keep the uni and salmon roe refrigerated at 40°F / 4°C or below until the salad is dressed and plated. 2. If necessary, gently drain excess packing liquid from the uni without rinsing or pressing it. Use a small spoon to lift the lobes intact. 3. Arrange the uni over the dressed salad and spoon the salmon roe into a mound at the center. Do not toss again. ### Notes - Use the seafood within the supplier's recommended window, ideally on the day of purchase. - Raw seafood is not recommended for pregnant people, young children, older adults, or anyone with a weakened immune system. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Prepare everything except the final assembly ahead so the greens stay crisp and the seafood remains cold. ### Instructions 1. 0:00 — Wash and dry the greens, tear the radicchio, and slice the cucumber and peppers. 2. 0:15 — Whisk the dressing and chill four shallow serving bowls. 3. 0:25 — Toss the vegetables lightly with dressing, divide among bowls, and add sesame seeds. 4. Lift the uni onto the salads, add the roe, and serve immediately. ## Plating A low mound of greens supports the seafood without burying it, showing off the contrast between golden uni, orange roe, and burgundy leaves. ### Instructions 1. Build a loose mound of salad in each chilled bowl, keeping some radicchio and sweet pepper visible around the edges. 2. Arrange a quarter of the uni in broad lobes across each salad. Place a quarter of the roe in the center. 3. Serve without additional dressing over the seafood so its flavor stays distinct. ## Leftover Path Separate storage protects both the delicate seafood and the salad's texture. ### Instructions 1. Prepare only as much dressed salad as you intend to serve. Refrigerate extra dry vegetables in a covered container with a clean paper towel for up to 2 days. 2. Refrigerate extra dressing separately for up to 3 days and whisk before using. 3. Keep unused uni and roe in their original covered containers and follow the supplier's storage and use-by guidance. Do not plan to save assembled seafood salads. 4. Discard perishable food left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour above 90°F / 32°C. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.