Peanutty Soba Noodles

The news on the food front, as pertains to animal and fish proteins, have been grim over the past year. Anchovy and sardine populations have collapsed, avian flu is decimating poultry flocks in 12 states, and the supply of beef is expected to decline by another billion pounds this year. Add that to the droughts in Cali and most of the western states and you get a sense that the price of eating animals is about to get really high. Or rather, the true price of eating meat is about to become in-your-face obvious.

As a carnivore, I weep. But as a human I understand that something has to change. And life is too short to eat nasty tofu. It is time to rethink our diets. So, as I explore a more vegetal world in my culinary adventures, I hope I can find something to eat. Suggestions are greatly appreciated.

This is a nice recipe. I've made it in both production and personal sizes and it is fairly simple both ways.

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil over medium high heat.
Add 1 pound of soba noodles and 2 cups of chopped kale. Return to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Strain and shock in a cold water bath. Drain, drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with kosher salt, toss well and set aside.

For the sauce, combine in a sauce pan:
1/2 cup hot water
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegans)
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup roasted peanuts

Warm over medium heat until all the ingredients pull together. Set aside

For the topping combine:
1/2 cup chopped, fire roasted and peeled red bell pepper (if you use canned nobody will know if you rinse them before using)
1/2 cup chopped scallions, green and white parts
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup each white and black sesame seeds (if you only have one color, don't sweat it)
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon kosher salt

You can make the sauce a day ahead, but you may have to warm and thin it before using.

Toss the noodles and kale with the peanut sauce. Top with the veggie/peanut mixture. garnish with lime wedges and serve. This dish can also be served hot. Simply prepare the sauce first, leave it in the warm pan. Give the veg/peanut mix a very quick saute to bring it up to temp. Boil the noodles, drain and then toss everything together. It is very good both ways.

Cucamelons

My wife is starting to get excited at the prospect of planting the garden. In January the seed catalogs start to pour in and by this time of year an entire plan has taken shape. Last year, in one of her seed catalogs, I found a veggie called a cucamelon. It is a small round orb, about the size of a grape tomato. The skin is green striped and looks a lot like a watermelon. When you bite into it, it is more like a cucumber in texture and tastes like a cucumber dipped in lime juice.

My wife ordered and grew them for me. They were prolific, to say the least. they came up right after the chard and died off in the fall when the only thing left was.....more chard. They are refreshing, easy to grow and to pick. I ate them out of hand for most of the summer. Those that did make it into the house I used in this salad, one of my favorite of the summer.

Cucamelon Salad
1 pint cucamelons, cut in half
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup red onion, sm. dice
1/2 cup rough chopped parsley
2 cups mixed greens
1 lemon, cut in half and juiced over the salad
4T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

If I have time to do so, I like to combine everything but the parsley and greens and let it marinate for an hour or two before tossing.

Switchel aka Haymaker's Punch

Way back when, farmers would keep glass jars of switchel in the creek or stream and drink off it while haying. It is a thirst quencher and a happy little pick-me-up. It is really drinkable and definitely thirst quenching. It is also loaded with trace minerals including potassium and manganese as well as vitamin c.. Some Vermonters claim it is a health tonic and I believe them. There are many different recipes, but all of them contain apple cider vinegar, molasses and ginger. Here is my recipe. We drink this year round, hot or cold. It also makes an excellent base for a variety of alcoholic libations.

Switchel
1/3 cup black strap molasses
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup. I use a combination of both.
1/3 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 quart Ginger Tea*

Mix this up and serve it cold over ice or warm it up like a tea.

*Ginger tea is 1 qt water boiled for 10-15 minutes with fresh ginger ( a knob about the size of your thumb, sliced.) If fresh ginger is not available, use 1 teaspoon of dried ginger to 1 qt of water.