Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Note: From Kazuto Matsusaka at Beacon restaurant in Culver City
Soy vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet cooking sake)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
Combine the vinegar, mirin, soy sauce and sesame oil in a small lidded jar and shake well to combine. - 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet cooking sake)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
Salad and assembly:
- 1/2 cup trimmed, julienned snow peas
- 1/2 cup peeled, julienned carrots
- 1 (250-gram) package dry cha-soba (green tea soba) (about 9 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup peeled, seeded, julienned cucumbers
- 1/2 (2-ounce) package radish sprouts (kaiware), trimmed
- 1 recipe soy vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon balasamic vinegar
1. Heat the grill. In a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water, blanch the snow peas and carrots separately, about 30 seconds each. Drain and place them in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. When cool, drain and set aside.- 1/2 cup peeled, julienned carrots
- 1 (250-gram) package dry cha-soba (green tea soba) (about 9 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup peeled, seeded, julienned cucumbers
- 1/2 (2-ounce) package radish sprouts (kaiware), trimmed
- 1 recipe soy vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon balasamic vinegar
2. In the same pot of boiling water, cook the soba noodles until foam rises to the top, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat and simmer until noodles are tender but springy. Depending on the brand, this can take anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes; the only way to be sure is to taste.
3. When the noodles are done, pour them into a strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Toss the noodles to remove excess moisture and mix them lightly with 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Set aside.
4. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss them lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Grill the shrimp until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
5. In a large bowl, combine the noodles, snow peas, carrots, cucumbers and sprouts. Toss them with the soy vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Arrange the soba salad in the center of a plate and place the shrimp around the outside. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Each serving: 299 calories; 25 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 168mg cholesterol; 873 mg. sodium.
