My mom came for dinner the other night and I wanted to make something new—something refreshing that felt healthy and filling. I turned to 101 Cookbooks for inspiration and found this little gem. Apparently it originally comes from a San Francisco restaurant called Pomelo and is on their menu as “otsu.” Also apparently it’s delicious. I think I’ve found a new way to cook tofu, too—it holds together nicely in a pan without any oil. And of course, it showcases the king of all herbs, cilantro. Cilantro cilantro cilantro. I made a few augmentations for simplicity and learned that if you can’t find soba noodles (which I couldn’t on my last-minute shopping trip), whole grain linguine works rather nicely. I also pressed the tofu between two plates and put a heavy book on top to help squeeze out the excess moisture. In the end, this can be served hot or cold and is delicious either way. Dressing Fresh ginger, cut into a 1-inch cube, peeled, and grated 1 tbsp honey 3/4 tsp cayenne 3/4 tsp salt 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1/3 cup soy sauce 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp sesame oil 12 oz dried soba noodles 12 oz extra-firm tofu 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1 small cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced 1 small handful of cilantro sprigs, for garnish 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish Make the dressing by combining the zest, ginger, honey, cayenne, salt, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce in a food processor and process until smooth. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils. (I actually did all this with a stick blender, but it got a little sloppy so I think the food processor works best.) Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Set aside. While the pasta is cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into rectangles roughly the size of your thumb (½ inch thick and 1 inch long). Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. At the same time, toast the sesame seeds in a small dry pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, cilantro, green onions, cucumber, and about ⅔ cup of the dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and a few cilantro sprigs for garnish. Serves 4-6 Add Comment Snap Pea, Walnut and Feta Salad 09/30/2009
We bought a huge bag of those sugar snap peas at Costco the other day. It's true you can just eat them raw and they're delicious, but they're also very tasty in this just-steamed format. The warmth of the peas help melt the feta a bit, combining to make one delicious salad. Salad 3 cups Sugar Snap Peas 1 cup Feta, crumbled 1 cup Walnuts, crumbled Dressing 1 tbsp. Olive Oil 1 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar 1 tbsp. Brown Mustard Salt and Pepper Trim the ends off the snap peas if desired. Place them in a saute pan with a half cup of water, and cover. Steam for 5-7 minutes over medium heat, until tender but not mushy. Meanwhile, mix dressing ingredients together. Drain water from peas, mix with feta and walnuts, and top with dressing. Serve with a light pasta. Arugula Salad 08/25/2009
I'm planning on making this one tonight--it's the perfect light complement to heavier dishes. I think I'll serve it with some zucchini fritters and a tomato and goat cheese tart...recipes to come later! 2 bunches Arugula, washed, dried, and torn 1/4 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 Lemon, juiced Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano In a serving bowl, drizzle the arugula with the oil, squeeze in the lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until well mixed and taste for seasoning. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin pieces of Parmigiano over the top. Look like a total rock star to your friends who are used to iceberg lettuce in their salads. Broccoli and Almond Salad 07/06/2009
My grandma sent me this one...the recipe is for one serving, so if you're feeding two, double the recipe (and so forth). Thanks Gram! Greek Salad 07/01/2009
 This is so easy and so good. Perfect side salad with a little oomph! Measurements are a little vague depending on your taste (and the availability of package sizes). While dill is the more traditional herb for a dish like this, basil will perk things up a bit and also be very delicious. 1 large cucumber 4-6 oz. crumbled Feta 10-12 oz. grape tomatoes 5-6 oz. pitted Kalamata Olives 2 tbsp. fresh Dill OR Basil Salt and Pepper to taste Chop cucumber, tomatoes, olives, and herb. Combine in large bowl, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. | good eats
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