Cold Noodles With Tomato-Peanut Sauce, Pork & Peppers

Serves 4

Chilled, nutty, garlicky, saucy noodles, savory pork and sweet peppers come together for a light yet satisfying savory summer meal.

1 pound fresh lo mein, udon or dried spaghetti noodles

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for tossing with noodles

Diamond Crystal Kosher salt

1 pound ground pork or sausage

Freshly ground black pepper

½ pound Jimmy Nardello, red bell or other sweet

peppers, stemmed and chopped

1¼ cups unsweetened roasted peanuts

¾ pound Early Girl or Roma tomatoes, chopped (about 3 or 4 large) tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar or lemon juice (or mix of both)

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fish sauce

½ cup chopped cilantro and/or mint, plus more if

desired

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions then drain and rinse under cold water, then shake off as much water as possible. Transfer the cool noodles to a large bowl and toss with enough olive oil to coat them. Season with salt and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmery, add the ground pork, using the back of a spoon or blunt wooden spoon to break the meat into bite-size pieces and crumbles. Cook, tossing and turning every few minutes, until cooked through and you have a mix of crispy browned and tender bits. Season with salt and pepper, then fold in the peppers and cook, tossing and turning until the peppers are softened and tender but still have a fresh pepper taste (taste a piece or two), about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small serving bowl and let cool before serving.

Place ¾ cup of the peanuts, tomatoes, vinegar or lemon juice, garlic, fish sauce and remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste, season with salt, pulse, taste again and season again if needed.

Pour the tomato-peanut sauce into the bowl with the noodles and toss very well to combine. The noodles should look fully coated and there should be some sauce pooling at the bottom of the bowl. If there isn't, or if the sauce looks too thick, add a few splashes of water at a time, tossing in-between. Season with salt again and taste until it's sufficiently saucy and delicious.

Chop the remaining ½ cup peanuts. Serve the noodles in bowls with the cooled pork and pepper mix spooned over the top with the chopped herbs and peanuts.