Soba with Miso Lamb Ragu

01May09

The day started sunny spring bright; the leaves suddenly screen the view of the florescent green plastic playground in the park behind my house, and the woodchuck (-chuckette? and possible future -chuckles?) has made its presence known by beginning a tunnel into the raised bed that will be our tomato garden. Mr. Tess cut the dandelions grass for the first time this year, glad that mower started right up—because he thinks he must have remembered to put [something] into the tank so it wouldn’t be filled with varnish. Then he realized that someone was hungry enough over the winter to nibble the gas line.

Filed under: Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Noodles, Soba, Western Influenced food, Yakimono   |  Leave a Comment

Toshikoshi Soba with Duck and Long Onions

01Jan09

On New Year’s Eve in Japan, people traditionally eat toshikoshi soba noodles. “Toshikoshi” means end of the old year crossing to the new year. Eating noodles on New Year’s will bring longevity, a life as long as noodles. So we ate our lucky noodles!
I made the same recipe last year, but this year we ate the soba with our daughter, who is here for the holidays.

Filed under: Duck, Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Soba, Soups, Yakimono   |  3 Comments
Tags: Japanese Cooking, toshikoshi soba noodles

Soba Sushi

22Sep08

This is an unusual dish: sushi made with soba noodles rather than rice! Apparently it’s not well known even in Japan. Funny, but there are recipes in two of my cookbooks: The Japanese Kitchen, and Washoku!

Filed under: Japanese Food, Noodles, Soba, Sushi   |  4 Comments
Tags: Japanese Recipes, Menrui

Successful Soba Noodles

19May08

The third time is the charm! Cooking Japanese with noodles I made myself is an accomplishment after my two previous failures. This time I used a finer ground buckwheat flour, bread flour, and vital wheat gluten. I know that I’ll never be a soba master—100% buckwheat, hand rolled and cut noodles—require more than I’m able to do! But the dough was lively and resilient. The smell as I worked was pleasant and nutty.

Filed under: Japanese Food, Noodles, Soba   |  5 Comments
Tags: Japanese Cooking

Tsukejiru: Cold Noodle Dipping Sauce

18May08

Tsukejiru is more strongly flavored than broth for hot noodles (kakejiru) or tempura dipping sauce (tentsuyu). Cold inhibits flavors. Ms. Shimbo notes that at noodle restaurants in Japan, the base (kaeshi) is made and refrigerated for a week to allow the flavor to mature. Don’t worry: if you have not planned so far ahead, cooking all the ingredients at one time makes a good sauce.
Tsukejiru

Filed under: Japanese Food, Noodles, Salads, Dressings, and Sauces, Soba   |  3 Comments
Tags: Japanese Recipes, Menrui