The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SOBA SALAD WITH SOY-RED WINE REDUCTION
2 cups dry red wine
⅔ cup soy sauce
Kosher salt
2 packages (8 to 9 ounces each) soba
noodles
1 block firm tofu (12 to 14 ounces), drained, patted dry, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slabs, then into bitesize pieces
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons dark
sesame oil, divided
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and
sliced into long, thin strips
1 large red or orange bell pepper, halved, seeded, and sliced into long, thin strips
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and sliced
crosswise into thin rounds
4 scallions, trimmed, white and green
parts thinly sliced on a diagonal 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and
grated or minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and
grated or minced
2 tablespoons rice wine
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds 1 cup packed fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, mint or a combination), finely chopped or torn
Combine the red wine, soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer very gently (with just a couple of bubbles popping at the surface) until the mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the soba noodles and boil according to the package instructions until the soba is tender. Drain through a fine-mesh sieve and rinse the soba under cold water to cool it down. Set aside.
Adjust an oven rack to the top position and heat the broiler to high. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set the tofu on the prepared pan and drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil, then sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Broil the tofu until browned, 8 to 10 minutes (watch the tofu closely, as broiler intensities vary). Remove from the broiler and set aside.
Place the cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeño, scallions, garlic, ginger, rice wine, lime juice and 2 teaspoons of salt in a medium bowl and toss to combine.
Place the cooled soba noodles in a large bowl. Add the red wine sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and stir to coat. Top with the vegetables and tofu, then sprinkle with the sesame seeds and herbs, and serve.
The soba salad will keep, in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 8 hours. Serves 6.
Per serving: 455 calories (percent of calories from fat, 23), 18 grams protein, 67 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 11 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 2,017 milligrams sodium. Excerpted from “Umami Bomb: 75 Vegetarian Recipes That Explode With Flavor” by Raquel Pelzel (Workman Publishing). Copyright © 2019.