Soba Noodles In Broth With Spinach And Shiitakes Recipes

Steps:

• Place the kombu and shiitakes in a large bowl, and cover with 4 1/2 cups hot water. Soak for 30 minutes. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer, then rinse. Remove the mushroom stems and discard. Slice the caps thinly.
• Meanwhile, cook the soba noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add the soba. As the water comes back to a boil, add 1/2 cup of cold water to prevent it from boiling over. Allow to come back to a boil again, and add another 1/2 cup of cold water. Check for doneness, and if necessary bring back to a boil one more time and add another 1/2 cup of cold water. The soba should be tender all the way through but al dente -- slightly firm to the bite. Transfer immediately to the ice water, and allow to cool for a few minutes, then drain.
• Bring the water back to a boil, salt generously and add the spinach. Blanch for one minute, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess liquid, and cut the squeezed bundle of spinach into four pieces.
• Divide the noodles, spinach, mushrooms and green onions among four large soup bowls. In a saucepan, combine the soaking water from the kombu and mushrooms, the sake, mirin and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour over the ingredients in the soup bowls, and serve at once.

Steps:

• Stir together all sauce ingredients until brown sugar is dissolved, then set aside.
• Toast sesame seeds in a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat, stirring, until pale golden, then transfer to a small bowl.
• Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté ginger and garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add shiitakes and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender and starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, then add cabbage and most of scallions (reserve about a tablespoon for garnish) and cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Add sauce and simmer 2 minutes.
• While cabbage is cooking, cook soba and edamame together in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until noodles are just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool water to stop cooking and remove excess starch, then drain well again. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with sesame seeds and vegetable mixture. Serve sprinkled with reserved scallions.

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt if desired. Add the sweet potatoes and cabbage, and simmer 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• If the noodles have been refrigerated, warm them by placing them in a strainer and dipping the strainer into the simmering broth. Then distribute the noodles among four to six soup bowls. Add the spinach to the stock. Cover, and turn off the heat. Leave for three minutes. Ladle the soup into the bowls, taking care to distribute the vegetables evenly. Sprinkle the chives over each serving, and serve.

Steps:

• Combine stock, soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, sugar and salt to taste in a small bowl. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Combine garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes or minced chile in another bowl.
• Bring a large saucepan or pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste and baby broccoli. As soon as water comes back to a boil (about 1 minute), use a skimmer to remove broccoli and transfer it to a bowl of cold water. Drain in a colander, then on paper towels. Cut stems away from florets and slice about 1/2 inch thick. Bring water back to a boil and cook soba. Drain and toss with 2 teaspoons sesame oil.
• Place all ingredients within reach of your wok. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil and add tofu. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until it begins to color, and remove to a plate. Add remaining oil and garlic, ginger and chile. Stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds and add mushrooms. Stir-fry for 1 minute and add broccoli and the light parts of the scallions. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Add the noodles, tofu and the stock mixture. Reduce heat to medium and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes. Add cilantro and the dark green part of the scallions, stir-fry another 30 seconds to a minute, until well combined, and serve.

Steps:

• First, prepare the toppings: Add 4 tablespoons oil to a large skillet and heat gently over medium. Place the red-pepper (chilli) flakes and paprika into a small heatproof bowl. Once the oil is quite hot but not smoking, pour it over the spices. Set aside to infuse as you make the ginger crumbs.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high. Once hot, turn the heat back down to medium and add the ginger and shallot. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until nicely browned and starting to crisp. Add the panko, sesame seeds and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes more, stirring often, until nicely toasted. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the broth: Add all the broth ingredients plus 3/4 cup/200 milliliters water and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium lidded saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover once simmering, turn the heat down to low and cook for 25 minutes. Drain through a sieve set over a bowl, discarding the solids, and return the broth to the saucepan along with another 1 1/4 cups/300 milliliters hot water. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
• Prepare the noodles: Boil them in a pot or saucepan according to package instructions, or for 5 minutes in plenty of boiling water. Drain well and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Return the drained noodles to the pot or saucepan and toss with the lime juice, soy sauce and cilantro (coriander).
• Divide the warm broth across four bowls, then use a fork to twist and gather the noodles and nest them artfully in the bowls. Top with a spoonful of the ginger crumbs and the chile oil, serving the remaining alongside.