Soba and roasted tofu salad with shredded spinach

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 pounds Extra-firm tofu
1½ tablespoon Yamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
1 tablespoon Dry sherry
1 pounds Soba; (buckwheat noodles)
=== DRESSING ===
3 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce
3 tablespoons Oriental sesame oil
2 tablespoons Brown sugar
1 teaspoon Hot chili oil
1 tablespoon Rice vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Scraped; coarsely-grated ginger root
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
2 larges Scallions; sliced very thin
4 cups Washed spinach; leaves stacked
And julienned

Directions

Cut the tofu into ¼-inch thick slices and pat them very dry with a kitchen towel or paper towels. Cut each slice into 4 triangles by cutting a big "X" from corner to corner. Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, and sherry in a large bowl. Add tofu, then, with a rubber spatula, very gently toss it with the marinade. Let marinate at least 30 minutes, or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the tofu and its marinade in a single layer in a large shallow baking dish. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden all over. Shake the pan after 15 minutes to prevent the tofu from sticking. Place the cooked tofu on a flat plate and cool slightly, then refrigerate until cold throughout, about 1½ hours. Meanwhile, bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Drop in the soba and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. You must watch soba carefully because if it is overcooked if it will fall apart, yet you don't want if it too firm either.

Keep tasting a strand to be certain if it is cooked properly. Drain the soba in a colander, then rinse under cold running water. Vigorously shake out all the water, then place the noodles in a large bowl. Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. Toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a small pot over medium heat. Swirl the pan around until the seeds become fragrant and start to smoke, about 4 minutes.

Do not take your eyes off them. When lightly golden, pour them into a small bowl and let them cool. When the tofu is cold, mix it into the noodles along with the sesame seeds and scallions. Pour on the dressing and toss well. Marinate the salad at least one hour or up to 2 days before serving.

Cover and chill if it is longer than 2 hours. It is best served cool or at room temperature, remove it from the refrigerator a half hour or so before serving time. Just before serving mix in the spinach. This recipe yields 4 servings.

Recipe Source: COOKING LIVE with Sara Moulton Recipe courtesy of Jeanne Lemlin, "Simple Vegetarian Pleasures" From the TV FOOD NETWORK - (Show # CL-9132 broadcast 05-19-1998) Downloaded from their Web-Site -

Formatted for MasterCook by Joe Comiskey, aka MR MAD - jpmd44a@...

~or- MAD-SQUAD@...

11-20-1998

Recipe by: Jeanne Lemlin

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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