The Humbling Potato

If there is one vegetable that can evoke the biggest sense of uselessness in me, it is the potato. I just don’t know what to do with the damned thing beyond the standard boiling or mashing. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to come up with a dish to submit for Weekend Wokking that would showcase the potato in all its glory. I thought maybe I could do them up Asian-style, but there really weren’t many recipes that inspired me. The one Thai dish that I would have loved to do was massaman curry, but I’ve already done that (and you should too, if you've never had it). There was a Korean dish with potatoes and pork loin that briefly piqued my interest. And of course Indian spiced potatoes would have fit the bill. Yet I couldn’t motivate myself for either of these.


The thing about potatoes is that they're humble, almost too humble. They're never the star of the show, but can certainly save a meal. Think about it, if the main attraction sucks, like an over cooked steak or a dry pork chop, at least the potatoes will be satisfying. So with that in mind, I decided on an easy potato salad with smoked trout and dill. The smoked trout gave it a complex flavor and the dill added that extra bit of freshness. It’s the type of potato salad that brings a bit of sophistication to the humble potato.

Note: For this dish, I used just your average, run of the mill potatoes. They work just fine, but for a little more interest, try using unpeeled fingerlings or small new potatoes. Red potatoes would be very pretty as well.

Fresh smoked trout is difficult to find. So here’s a secret: use the canned stuff. I know some people would balk at this, but it worked beautifully. I got mine at Trader Joe’s, but any respectable brand will do. Just make sure it’s drained well before using. Dab it with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel, if necessary, to remove the excess oil and liquid.

Potato Salad with Smoked Trout and Dill

• Approx 1. 5 to 2 pounds potatoes, peeled, boiled and cooled
• 3 oz smoked trout (hot smoked salmon works beautifully as well)
• 1 to 2 tbs finely chopped sweet (red or white) onion
• 2 to 3 tbs chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbs mayonnaise
• 2 tbs sour cream (crème fraiche or crema will also do the trick)
• lemon or lime juice, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice. Add salt to taste and set the dressing aside until needed.

Depending on how you like your potato salad, dice or coarsely mash the potatoes. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with the onion and dill. Add about 2/3 of the dressing and some salt. Gently mix the salad until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more dressing, salt or lemon juice and pepper. Serve chilled.

I’m still going to submit this dish to Weekend Wokking, which was created by Wandering Chopsticks. Despite the name of the event, the submissions don’t need to be Asian or cooked in a wok. They just have to showcase the (seasonal) theme ingredient, which happened to be the potato this month. If you want to participate in the next round, visit White on Rice Couple to see the round-up and what they’ll choose as the theme ingredient. Once they announce the ingredient, you can send your delicious submissions to me for the August round-up. To see who else is hosting in the future, click here.

Added: Check out the round-up here.

Kickin' it Old School Style

I’m what some people might call a technology idiot old school. Hubby is exactly the opposite. It's like George Jetson married to Wilma Flintstone. We're constantly discussing the value of modern-day conveniences. In my opinion, these so-called conveniences are either a waste of money or end up being a big pain in the ass. Like the dumb "universal" remote control that only controls half of the TV accessories. Don't get me wrong, I love things like electricity and indoor plumbing, but why do I need a camera phone that can play MP3s? Why do I need a panini maker when I have a perfectly good cast iron grill pan and lid? Why do I need an espresso machine when the stove top brewer works perfectly fine?

The latest issue is whether we should get a gas grill. Hubby thinks gas would be swell, while I’m a die-hard charcoal fan. Food tastes better over coals and wood and there's no threat of freak explosions. But with the shitty spring weather we had here in Portland, I almost caved. It would be so easy to just turn on the gas and throw our hot dogs on 5 minutes later. We could grill every day this summer, even on the days we get home late from work. Heck, we could grill all year long, no matter the weather. It's such a tempting thought!

While I agonize over the issue, you should make this delicious Korean-style grilled pork I made this last weekend. I completely ripped this idea from was inspired by manggy, who posted about a mouthwatering Korean barbequed chicken. Do check out the post; his picture is enough to induce uncontrollable drooling. He did it as a stir-fry, but I decided to try it grilled. Oh man, was it good! Thanks to manggy for the inspiration!

Note: Scanning the ingredients, you may think this dish may be too spicy; it’s not. The heat from the gochujang is a subtle heat, not like the in-your-face heat of a birdseye chilli. My 5-year-old enjoyed this dish as much as Hubby and I did.

Korean-style Grilled Pork

• 4 to 5 tbs gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 3 tbs tamari (regular old Kikkoman is fine)
• 2 tbs rice vinegar
• 3 tbs browns sugar or honey
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs grated ginger
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 2 pounds boneless pork loin chops (or tenderloin or even chicken, if you prefer)
• toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
• green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal for garnish (optional)

Make the marinade by combining all the ingredients, except the pork. Mix well to get a uniform mixture. Taste the mixture and adjust according to your preference. Keep in mind, it will be less spicy on the cooked pork.

Since the marinade is more like a barbeque sauce, I recommend giving the chops a couple of wacks with a meat mallet. Don’t annihilate the meat; just a couple of solid wacks to flatten them slightly. This breaks down the fibers of the meat a little and allows the marinade to penetrate better.

Marinate the meat for at least 4 hours in the fridge, but longer is better. I started it in the morning and let it go all day. Take the meat out of the fridge up to one hour before grilling to take the chill off.

Couple of things to keep in mind when grilling. Grill over direct heat, but the coals shouldn't be blazing hot. Watch carefully because the marinade will burn quite easily. It may only take a couple of minutes each side, depending on how thick your chops are. You definitely don’t want to overcook loin chops, unless you like dry-ass pork.

Before serving, garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and green onions. I served the pork with Japanese-style rice and a simple stir-fry of carrots, celery and ginger. A side of kimchi would also go great!

Hey, I Bet I Love Anchovies More than You Do!

I'll keep this short and savory, since I did such a long post just a day ago and I know your eyes could use the rest.

As you may (or may not) know, I love anchovies. I also love olives. So imagine my delight when I tasted a salad dressed with an olive-anchovy vinaigrette. I know the thought may make some people cringe, but it was very, very good. Just think, a bolder version of Cesar dressing sans the threat of salmonella. I’ve seen similar dressings with capers, and you may choose to substitute capers for anchovies if you’re one of those people who just can’t tolerate anchovies in your food.



Note: use the dry, wrinkly looking olives, not the ones in liquid. Their flavor is more intense and it gives a far better texture to the dressing.

Olive and Anchovy Vinaigrette
makes about ½ cup
1 oz black (pitted) olives, roughly chopped
2 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
2 tsp Dijon or coarse mustard
1 tbs honey
3 tbs white wine vinegar
up to 1/3 cup olive oil

You can make the vinaigrette in your blender as you would any other, but I like to do this one by hand. If you go this route, grind the chopped olives in a mortar until you get a paste. Add the anchovies and grind until they are well incorporated. Transfer the paste to a large bowl, add the mustard, honey and vinegar. Whisk to get a uniform mixture. At this point, taste the mixture to see if you want more salt (probably not) or honey or vinegar. When you're happy with the flavor, slowly add the olive oil while whisking vigorously. That's all. See how easy that was?

Tasty and easy and quick and simple. That's what this lunch was. The only thing missing from this salad was some sliced sweet, red onions. Didn't have those so I threw some extra olives on top because, really, you can't have too many olives, right??

I like to serve this with a romaine or red leaf lettuce supplemented with a couple slices of red onion. Remember, a lot goes a long way. It’s also great to use as a dip with crusty bread, especially a nice sourdough. . Or even better, try it as a spread on salami sandwiches. Very delicious!

Italy: The Final Chapter

I have been meaning to do a last post about our trip to Italy, but the longer I’ve waited, the harder it’s become to remember all the details. Luckily I kept a travel journal to remind myself where I’d gone and what I’d done, so I will tell you a little about the Cilento Coast and the day I spent alone in Salerno. In case you need a refresher, I wrote two other posts about our vacation, which you can read here and here.

Having two weeks for the vacation really gave us a chance to see things at a leisurely pace. If Sonny had his way, we would have been at the beach each and every day. BIL and SIL were more about hiking and getting outdoors in nature. If you’re that type, you will love the Cilento Coast. There are tons of hiking possibilities and numerous grottos you can visit, if you’re into dank, dark places and bats. I’m not. Bedstemor wanted to see archaeological ruins and she enjoyed Paestum and Pompeii. I preferred visiting towns and cities to see what they had to offer. I even ventured alone around Salerno while the rest of the group went to Pompeii.

Paestum is the site of an ancient Greek temple. I thought this was a funny picture taken by SIL of BIL debating with his imaginary friends.

Pompeii. The picture was taken by SIL.

Notice the kid's wearing sandals? Bad idea if you are going to be walking in dust. By the time he got home, his feet were caked and black.

This kid is a hoot! He's vogue-ing! In Pompeii!

If you plan on sight seeing along the coast, you will need two things: a car and a good supply of Dramamine. Buses will get you to Paestum and Pompeii and the cities along the coast, but it’s just easier to have a car at your disposal. You’ll get to see more in less time and you won’t have to worry about deciphering bus schedules, late buses and the occasional crazy Italy dude (more on this later). Be warned that driving amongst the Italians can be a little nerve wracking, but BIL said that after a couple of days, he figured out there was some method to their madness.

The Cilento Coast highway is not as jaw clenching as the Amalfi Coast, but if you are prone to carsickness, you’ll want to have a barf bag handy. Even the Dramamine wasn't enough at times. The upside is the scenery. It’s gorgeous. You’ll want to pull over and snap photos every half mile. The only thing to keep in mind is that the national “nap time” is generally between 1 to 5 PM, which happens to be prime touristing time. Luckily the outdoors are so gorgeous you could just pack a lunch and explore outside while the locals are "napping".

As I mentioned, I spent a day by myself venturing around Salerno and a little ways up the Amalfi Coast while the others went to Pompeii. Hubby’s parents dropped me off near a post office in Salerno with their cell phone on their way north, and the plan was to pick me up a few hours later on the way home. Did I mention I didn’t have a city map? Or a GPS unit or even a compass? I just decided to follow the signs toward the stazione, which I believed would be a train or bus station. My plan was to squeeze in a bus trip to Amalfi since Rick Steeves said it was worth a visit. I got a little lost, and after a little aimless wandering and some gelato to help me get my barings, I found the station. The ticket to Amalfi only cost 6 Euros, which was a good bargain.

Salerno

The next bit that follows is what Rick Steeves would call turning a travel mishap into a magic travel memory. Or something like that.

When I got onto the bus at the terminal, it was already over half full, but I was lucky enough to snag a window seat. At the next stop a guy with a big bag sat down sat next to me and his mom sat in the seat in front of us. He set his bag down between his legs so he had to spread his legs as far open as they’d go. Compared to what Americans are used to, the circle of personal space is a bit smaller in Italy, but he was really pushing the limit. I suppose I could have given up my seat so he could sit next to his mother, but I wanted the window seat. Almost immediately the dude introduces himself as Marco and begins to rattle off in Italian. He asked me my name, but I tried to politely indicate that I didn’t understand what he was saying (although I did understand he was asking my name and where I was from). His mom kept turning around and rolling her eyes at him, like she knew he was annoying. Did I mention he was like 35 years old? Once he realized I wasn’t able to socialize, he put on his earphones and serenaded the entire bus. And he was no Eros Rammazotti. Occasionally he’d reach over me and point his Razor phone at the window and snap a picture. I can only imagine what they looked like, pictures taken with a camera phone from a moving bus. I wanted to move, but there weren’t any seats left and I would have definitely barfed if I had to stand for that bus ride, despite taking a dose and a half of Dramamine. I thought I could get off at one of the bigger stops and wait for the next bus, but once we got to driving on the cliffs, the stops were in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t want to get out to wait half an hour by the side of the road. I ended up sitting next to Marco for a good 45 minutes (he sang most of that time and used my side as an elbow rest), until we reached Maiori, a small town about 5 km of Amalfi. I walked around Maiori a bit to shake off the Marco experience. Snapped some pictures. Ate gelato...again. Got back to my vacation happy place. I never did make it all the way to Amalfi, because the next bus was very late. I decided to head back to Salerno and have a look around. It turns out I didn’t get to see much of Salerno either. By the time I got there and got myself another gelato (that's number 3, if you were counting), Hubby’s parents were on their way to pick me up. The day definitely did not turn out the way I planned, but it was certainly quite memorable.


Snapped this picture when the bus stopped along the route. You can't really see it, but there is a road cut into the side of that cliff!

Maiori

The beach at Maiori was nice and calm, and as you can see sparsely popluated. But I heard it can get really crowded during peak season.

Our trip to Agropoli was completely the opposite of my Salerno trip. Agropoli is probably the largest city on the Cilento Coast yet it doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention. Maybe because it doesn’t look very welcoming from the highway. The only notable thing we saw all the times we drove by was the gi-normous, dreary looking hospital. But once we got to the city proper, it was so pretty. The pedestrian shopping street was very charming and lead up to the old town. It was very similar to Castellabate in that the streets were narrow alleyways and steps. The view from the top of the old town was just as beautiful as the view from Castellabate. We saw the harbor, waterfront homes, and the sea.

Entering the original portion of Agropoli. The next picture shows the view of newer Agropoli from these steps.

Looking down from old Agropoli towards the newer portion of town.

Looking north from old Agropoli.

We were also fortunate enough to happen upon a large outdoor market a little ways from the town center. It turned out to be larger than it looked and I scored the most awesome souvenir of the trip. It was an extra long (19.5 inches / 50cm) wooden spoon I use for stir-frying or making a big vat of tomato sauce. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes, but I honestly haven’t been able to find a tool long and heavy duty enough to withstand high heat cooking. Sonny scored some clothes (the Transformer pajamas were his favorite) and sweets. Agropoli was my favorite of our ventures and to think we almost didn’t make it!

In addition to plants, clothing and foodstuffs, one could buy chickens.

Nuts and dried fruits.

Who knew there were so many types of beans?

I hoped you enjoyed this final bit about our trip!

Grow Your Own!

One of the things that gives me a great sense of satisfaction is eating the vegetables and herbs that we grow. My wish is to have enough space to grow a lot of the produce we eat, but it’s challenging living in a city and finding enough space to have a productive garden. Some people would laugh if they knew my vegetable garden is only 2’ wide by 8’ long. What’s the point with such a small space?? How about you? What are you growing? I want to know! Leave a comment with a link (to a post or your blog) so I can find you!

My garden. I know it looks like a random mess, but it's quite productive. This year I'm growing 3 or 4 varieties of tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, sugar snap peas, cilantro, mint, basil, oregano, strawberries.

As it turns out, you really don’t need that much space to produce a healthy bounty. The key is to be selective. Before I planted, I thought long and hard about what we like to eat and what would give the most yield for the space. Things like sugar snap peas, peppers, and tomatoes were naturally at the top of the list. Squash and cucumbers are also good bets. Still, 16 square feet just isn’t enough space, and until Hubby builds me a second vegetable bed, I also have to use containers.

Sonny wanted to grow strawberries this year. I've never grown them, so it will be interesting to see how many we get.

I've got 3 pepper plants going: 2 hot and 1 mini bell.

This is the reason I grow my own mint. Cherry mojitos!

Sugar snap peas are so easy to grow. They like cool weather so you can plant them in early spring. And they produce a ton of pods that are so sweet, you can eat them raw right off the vine. You can eat the young tendrils too! They're also supposed to be nitrogen-rich, putting nitrogen back into the soil.

Send positive thoughts for my dwarf nectarine tree. It seems to have come down with a case of leaf curl and the fruit might not be able to mature. I also have a dwarf cherry tree and Meyer lemon tree, but they have yet to bare any fruit.

I encourage everyone to grow something edible. Even if it's just herbs, it's still worthwhile. Fresh herbs are so easy to grow in containers. Every time you pluck the leaves, it encourages the plant to produce even more. You'll have basil for pesto or mint for mojitos all summer long!

The herb I use the most is cilantro. Sure, it's cheap enough to buy, but I want the roots as well and it's impossible to find cilantro with the roots. I use the roots to make Thai curry pastes and in stir-fries. I'll post a stir-fry using the roots soon. In the meantime here's a simple rice recipe using the leaves and stems. Cumin and lime (or lemon) juice give it a nice freshness. It's very versatile too; perfect with Mexican, Middle Eastern or Indian food.



Cilantro Rice
Feeds 4 as a side dish

• 2 cups Basmati or other long grain rice, washed and drained
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (water is also fine)
• Juice from 1 lime or lemon (about 3-4 tbs)
• 1 tsp cumin seed
• 1 large bunch cilantro (about 1/2 cup or more to taste), finely chopped and divided
• salt to taste, if using water

In a medium pot, heat a tablespoon or two of oil over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to fry for 10 to 20 seconds. When they start to pop add the rice and half the chopped cilantro. Turn the rice in the oil to distribute the cumin seeds and cilantro. After about a minute, add the citrus juice and broth or water. (Alternatively, you could add the citrus in at the end when you fluff the rice for a more pronounced citrus flavor. ) Bring to a boil. Once it boils, cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer until the water is absorbed, about 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, fluff the rice with a fork and allow to steep for an additional 10 minutes. Add the leftover cilantro, fluff again and serve.

I'm submitting this to Weekend Herb Blogging, which is being hosted by Paulchen's Foodblog this week.

Bacon is Healthy. Okay, Not Really. But It's Delicious.

We love bacon in this house, but we don’t eat it very often. I generally don’t feel guilty about most foods, but bacon is not one of them. The fat and salt is enough to induce heart palpitations just thinking about it. When I do buy it, it’s always from the deli counter so I don’t buy more than I need. Those deli guys must think I'm crazy buying two strips of bacon at a time.

Having said that, I must confess that we've already had bacon 3 times in the last 6 days. But before you do that disappointed health freak face, let me explain. We weren't just eating any old bacon. We were reaping the fruits of my labor, if you will. That's right, I made bacon! I'll say it was one of the most satisfying moments when I sat down to breakfast this past weekend and enjoyed my own delicious bacon.



You’re probably wondering why I would want to make bacon? I guess that’s just how I roll. I’m all about demystifying and doing it myself. Many commercial bacons are so salty that one bite is enough to send my blood pressure sky high. The thing I like about this bacon is that it didn't feel like eating a salt lick. Maple and brown sugar gave it a hint of sweetness and helped to cut the saltiness. I also used fresh cracked black pepper to give it a little subtle heat.



Seriously, it was easy. All you have to do is cure it for a week, then hot smoke it for an hour or two. The only difficult thing about it is the waiting. So no, I won’t be making this on a weekly basis, but it is a nice touch if we are having visitors or going to a special function.

This recipe I used comes from Charcuterie. According to the authors, you can use whatever seasonings you like because it’s the cure and smoke that give bacon its wonderful taste. So if you don’t want to use maple but prefer to use cloves or bay leaves or whatever else tickles your fancy, then by all means. The original recipe calls for 5 pounds of pork belly. As big of a fan of bacon as I am, I thought that might just be a wee bit much. So I only started with 2 ½ pounds. However, after the smoking, there was a 20% weight loss (the bacon, not me)! After giving some to my neighbor for letting me use his smoker (thanks again, Dennis!), I was left with only about a pound. Even though that will stretch for 4 or even 5 uses, for the amount of waiting and daydreaming that goes into the process, I want the yield to be a bit more. Next time, I’m going for gold and making all 5 pounds. It freezes beautifully, so none of it will go to waste.



Note: if you want to do the whole 5 pounds, just double the recipe.

Maple Bacon (adapted from Charcuterie)
yields approximately 2 pounds

• 1 oz kosher salt
• 1 tsp pink salt (1/4 oz or 6 grams if you’re doing it by weight, which you should be)
• 1 tbs black peppercorns, coarsely ground
• 1 tbs whole allspice, coarsely ground
• 2 packed tbs light brown sugar (the original recipe calls for dark brown)
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 2 ½ pound slab of pork belly (original recipe says skin on, but I did it with skin removed)

Start by combining all of the dry ingredients. You want to make sure the pink salt is evenly distributed. Add the maple syrup and stir to make a paste. Rub the paste over the entire surface of the pork.

Place the pork in a Ziploc bag large enough to hold it or in a non-reactive container that is just slightly bigger than the pork. During the curing process, liquid will be released and it will work to cure the meat. Keep the meat in the fridge, turning every other day to expose both sides to the brine. It should take about 7 days to cure. It’s ready if you touch the meat and it’s firm. Make sure you’re checking the actual meat and not the fat, because the fat doesn’t get firm.

Once you’ve determined the meat is cured, rinse it well under cold water. You want to get rid of the residual salt. Most of the spices will wash off too, and that’s okay. Their flavor will already be in the meat. Pat the meat dry and air-dry it in the fridge for at least overnight. When you air-dry it in the fridge, it needs to rest on a rack, uncovered, above a container that will catch any juices and allow air to circulate. The next day, hot-smoke the meat to an internal temperature of 150º. For me, this took less than 2 hours (I think) at 275º (the original recipe didn’t specify a smoking temperature). I expected it to take like 3 hours, but when I checked it a little after 2 hours, it was at like 160+. Yikes!!! Yet, the bacon turned out fine.

Once you remove the bacon from the smoker, let it cool a bit. If you started with skin-on pork belly, you should remove the skin before the bacon cools completely. I started with skinless, and the fat caramelized very nicely, so I think I’ll use skinless the next time as well. Do not try to slice the bacon into strips before it is completely cooled to refrigerator temperature. An extra half hour in the freezer might make it even easier. Unless you have Morimoto-sharp knives, you will just end up “squishing” the fat and the slices will be sloppy and too thick. Trust me on this. Once it’s cool enough to slice, you still have to fry it to get it crispy.


If you found this process interesting, you may enjoy making your own Canadian bacon. It’s just as easy as bacon, but requires only 2 days curing. It’s also a lot less fatty because it’s done with pork loin.

Soba Salad with Gochujang Vinaigrette

Hubby and I recently had an interesting conversation about food, things like what we're eating and spending on food. I think I'm fairly good at maximizing the food while minimizing the money, but we could definitely do more. For one thing, we can bring lunch and snacks to work. I usually already do this because my campus doesn't have any food options besides vending machines. Hubby works right next to a food court and a block of restaurants, so he's in the habit of going to lunch. I've always been willing to pack his lunch, but I think there was a lot of peer pressure from his coworkers to go out to eat. But now he wants to bring his lunch, and I couldn't be happier. I'm planning on getting some bento boxes and making it fun and interesting. Doesn't it sound like I'll be packing lunch for a kid? Who knows, maybe he can convince some of his coworkers that the cool kids bring their lunch to work?? How about you? Do you bring your lunch to work?

Since we've had access to so much lettuce lately, it's only natural we'll be bringing salad for lunch. One of the salads I threw together was a soba salad. I know that sounds a little strange, but I’ll tell you why it worked. The baby lettuce I've been getting at the farmers' market actually has flavor! Some taste like mustard greens, others taste subtly sweet, and some have a more familiar lettuce taste. They remind me more of herbs than lettuce. Tossed with the soba and a tasty dressing, it just worked. If you don’t have delicious baby lettuce available, try tossing the noodles with cabbage chiffonade, shredded carrot and finely sliced green onions. Another option is fresh asparagus thinly sliced on the diagonal or fresh sugar snap peas. I left ours "vegetarian" but you could throw in some meat or seafood. Whatever tickles your fancy.

The dressing I threw together is just a variation of my peanut vinaigrette. Yes, I know it’s cheating, but I’m lazy like that. I substituted the peanut butter with Korean hot pepper paste, and nixed the curry powder. Doing so little completely changed the flavor. The result is a little sweet, a little spicy (but not too much for Sonny to eat), a little salty and a little nutty from the sesame oil. If you like Korean flavors, I think you’ll enjoy this.

Gochu jang (Korean hot pepper paste) Vinaigrette
makes about 1/2 to 1 cup

• 1 to 2 tbs Korean hot pepper paste
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 tbs sesame oil
• 3 tbs rice vinegar
• 1 tbs tamari
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ to 1/3 cup peanut (or a neutral oil)
• soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
• baby lettuce or other vegetables for the salad
  
• toasted sesame seeds for garnish
• cilantro for garnish
  

To make the dressing, combine everything in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste the mixture and adjust according to your preference (more tamari, honey, etc). If you're happy, start adding the peanut oil slowly all the while whisking to incorporate it. You may not need to add all of it.

To serve, toss the noodles in some dressing and set them atop your lettuce/vegetables. Top with your garnishes and drizzle more dressing on top, if desired.

I’m going to submit this to Weekend Herb Blogging , which was created by Kayln's Kitchen and is currently being hosted by maninas:food matters. It’s a weekly event, so there’s always a chance to participate! Click here to see who's hosting in the coming weeks.