Ginger Soba Noodles with Mustard Greens

from 101 Cookbooks

Note from MIG: Add mustard greens to this by sautéing (just until wilted) in olive, grapeseed or canola oil and maybe a bit of rice vinegar or any of the following: lime juice, soy sauce (just a bit), more grated ginger

12 oz / 340 g dried soba noodles

Ginger Dressing:

1 tablespoon freshly grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g chopped white onion
1 teaspoon mirin (optional)
2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 celery stalk, strings removed, then chopped
1/3 cup / 80 sunflower oil or untoasted sesame oil

3 tablespoons of chopped tarragon, plus more to taste

a few big handfuls of cubed tofu, pan-fried or baked until golden

1/3 cup + toasted squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or sesame seeds

Cook the soba noodles in well salted water, drain, rinse under cold water, and shake off as much of the water as possible.

In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the ginger, toasted sesame oil, lemon zest and juice, onion, mirin, sugar, salt, vinegar, celery, and sunflower oil in a food processor. Blend until very smooth, then press aggressively through a strainer. Taste and tweak a bit if needed - the dressing should have a bit of bite, and an edge. It'll hit the pasta and you want it to be able to cut the starchiness. Set the dressing aside.

In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with most of the tarragon, the tofu, most of the squash seeds/nuts, and about 2/3 of the dressing. Really get in there and toss well. Add more dressing if needed (I use all of it), and season again until the noodles are to your liking. It's nice to serve this with a few wedges of lemon on the side, or a bit of brown rice vinegar. Finish with the remaining tarragon and seeds.

Serves 4 - 6.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 20 min

Chicken Fricassee with Carrots, Mustard Greens Avgolemono Sauce

For chicken:

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 7 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 3 1/2-pound chickens, each cut into 8 pieces

• 2 cups chopped peeled carrots
• 4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

• 2 bunches mustard greens, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

For Avgolemono Sauce:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 large eggs, separated
• Pinch of salt

Make chicken:
Mix 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons parsley, lemon peel and minced garlic in large glass baking dish. Whisk in 6 tablespoons oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chicken. Turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate chicken overnight, turning once.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove chicken from marinade. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook chicken until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to large bowl.

Add carrots, sliced garlic and oregano to pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Add wine and remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom. Simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock. Return chicken to pot. Place pot in oven. Bake uncovered until chicken is cooked through, turning chicken occasionally, about 35 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken, carrots and sliced garlic to large bowl. Tent with foil to keep warm.

Boil cooking liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour 1 cup reduced cooking liquid into small bowl. Set aside.

Return cooking liquid remaining in pot to simmer. Add mustard greens. Cook until greens are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in green onions, dill, Dijon mustard and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Cover and keep warm.

Make avgolemono sauce:
Whisk lemon juice and cornstarch in another small bowl to blend. Whisk egg yolks in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch of salt in medium stainless steel bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in egg yolks, then lemon juice mixture. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Gradually add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Add sauce to mustard greens; stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce and mustard greens over chicken and serve.

Mustard Greens, Roasted Squash, and Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients

• 1 medium delicata squash (12-14 ounces), halved, seeded, cut into 3/4" cubes
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup skinned hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup hazelnut oil
• 1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 6-7-ounce bunch mustard greens, center ribs and stems removed from tough greens, cut into 2" pieces (about 5 cups) 

Directions

Place racks in top and bottom thirds of oven; preheat to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread out squash on prepared sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until tender and golden in spots, 18–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, spread out hazelnuts on a small rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until beginning to turn golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool on sheet.

Chop hazelnuts; place in a small bowl. Whisk in remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, hazelnut oil, vinegar, and sugar. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.

Place roasted squash and mustard greens in a large bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle vinaigrette over and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.