No matter what the weatherman says, at All the Best we have packed away our mitts and boots and are in high gear for Spring. Our chefs are creating delicious new seasonal dishes-soups, entrées, side dishes, salads and sweets to lift your spirits and make you feel great.
 This soba edamame salad combines tasty Japanese buckwheat noodles with crisp vegetables and an Asian-inspired miso dressing. It’s a winner!

Soba Edamame Salad with Miso Dressing
Soba Noodle and Edamame Salad with Miso dressing
A great salad is all about creating a pleasing combination of taste, texture and colour. Flavourful brown soba noodles made from wheat and buckwheat are a staple in Japanese cuisine. They are enjoyed hot, or at room temperature, as a simple light meal.

8 oz (250 g) soba noodles
kosher or sea salt
8 ozs (250 g) edamame, frozen
4 ozs (125 g) snow peas, trimmed
2 large radishes, julienned
2 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Pinch hot pepper flakes
1/2 to 2/3 cup (125 to 150 ml) Miso Dressing (see below)
1 sheet toasted nori, optional
1 tbsp (15 ml)  toasted white sesame seeds, optional
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted black sesame seeds, optional

1. In a large saucepan of boiling lightly salted water, cook noodles until tender, 6 to 8 minutes, or prepare noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. (You should have 4 cups /1L cooked soba noodles.) Set aside.

2. Cook edamame in ½ cup/125 ml lightly salted water, covered, according to package instructions, about 4 minutes.

3. Blanch snow peas for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut into fine slivers.

4. In a large bowl, combine noodles, edamame, snow peas, radishes, green onions and hot pepper flakes. Toss with dressing.

5. Using kitchen scissors, cut sheet of nori lengthwise into thirds and then into fine strips. Sprinkle on top of salad and garnish with white and black seeds.

Miso Dressing
2/3 cup (150 ml) natural rice vinegar
¼ cup (60 ml) yellow or white miso
2 tbsp (30 ml) grated ginger root
2 tbsp (30 ml) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil, optional

1. In a bowl, or food processor, combine vinegar, miso, ginger, sugar, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in vegetable oil and sesame oil, if using. Add water, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, whisking diligently to make sauce of light, creamy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Makes 1-3/4 cups (425 ml)

FYI We’re preparing this soba noodle salad at The Cottage Life Show, this weekend.

Enjoy!
Jane

This has been adapted from the book ‘All The Best Recipes’ by Jane Rodmell (2009, Robert Rose Inc.)

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