Springy Soba Noodle Salad
Happy Sunday, y'all! It's my favorite day of the week, mainly because the Clement Street Farmers Market is bursting with gorgeous vegetables and fruit samples. It's my weekly ritual to go gawk and snack. Last Sunday was so freaking gorgeous. I was a little over excited and brought home a huge haul of goodies to feed Reuben and I for the week. Look at those spring onions! So pretty, I'm going to paint them.
Side note: Speaking of painting, I've just added some adorable market lists to my Etsy shop. It's the perfect gift for your grocery shopping/farmers market loving friend. I'm typically that friend.
I went to the market this morning, of course, after a lovely breakfast at Cinderella Bakery with our close friends Alex and Catherine. I ate about 2000 calories worth of cheese in the form of these dangerously delicious cheese fritters called Syrniki. Alex got this pickled fish and carrot salad thing on Rye bread and it was sooooooo good. Definitely getting that next time. I made up for my cheese intake by purchasing a ton of fruits and vegetables again. The plums and peaches tasted like candy, so I bought a million and I'm going to attempt to make a tart with them later today, AND they had squash blossoms for the first time! I slightly regret that I didn't buy any... but hopefully they will be there next week!
I'll be spending the rest of my Sunday baking and maybe fitting in some produce painting while there is still light out. I also have to go pick up some Whole Food's sandwiches for dinner, because that has been our ritual the night before Reuben has to take an ARE. He has his 6th test tomorrow morning, so wish him luck! I'll also be finishing up The Keepers on Netflix... have you watched it yet?! It's so scary and horrifying. I had a hard time sleeping last night because I couldn't stop thinking about those girls. Ugh. It's so crazy. I want to talk to someone who has watched it, email me if you have. I have one last episode of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt left, so that might be able to balance the light and dark of my day.
Okay, let's talk about noods. Noodles. The dressing for these noodles have soy, vinegar, and sesame oil. Pretty much my ideal flavor profile. I love a good salty, acidic, and tangy dish. The vegetables are bright, fresh, and still have a little crunch to them. You can swap out the veggies for whatever look delicious at the market that day. For me it was snap peas, carrots, and those gorgeous spring onions. Once everything is mixed together with the dressing, it just tastes better and better the longer it sits. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. I think that letting them sit overnight produces optimal flavor, but waiting an hour or so for it to chill is still pretty tasty! I'll be making this again next weekend for out next Babes Brunch, which will be a Babes Picnic! V excited.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend : ) And GO CAVS! They play tomorrow and I'm so nervous. I hope I don't look back on this sentence and cringe.
Springy Soba Noodle Salad
serves 4-6
Steps :
1. Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
2. Drain your tofu and cut into 3/4" cubes. Place in a bowl and pour 1/3 cup of the dressing over the tofu. Gently mix together and allow to marinade for at least 30 mins in the fridge.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and boil the snap peas for 4-6 minutes, until slightly tender. With a mesh ladle, remove the snap peas and place in a bowl with ice water. Let cool in water and then drain.
4. Bring your pot of water back to a boil and cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain noodles in a colander and rinse under cold water.
5. In a large bowl or platter, add the peeled carrots, snap peas, and soba noodles. Pour in the remaining dressing and mix so that everything is evenly mixed and incorporated. Either eat this warm or allow noodles to chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days.
6. Garnish with green onions and black sesame seeds. Serve with marinaded tofu and enjoy!
For the Dressing :
1/2 C Soy Sauce
1/4 C Rice Vinegar
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
2 tsp Grated Ginger
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 C Green Onion - whites only, thinly sliced
For the Salad:
9.5oz Soba Noodles
1-2 Medium Carrots - peeled into ribbons
3 C Snap Peas
1 package Firm Tofu
Green Onions - for garnish
Black Sesame Seeds - for garnish