Puree Of Asparagus With Soba Noodles Food

ASPARAGUS NOODLES WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus stalks. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus into thin wide ribbons. (The last strip of asparagus will be a little thicker than the others but it¿s fine to use.)
• Pulse the basil, parsley, pine nuts, capers, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor until coarsely ground. With the machine running, drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil and process until the pesto is mostly smooth.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus noodles, red pepper flakes and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the asparagus is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the arugula and cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; add the pesto and 1 tablespoon water and toss to coat. Stir in the lemon zest and season with salt. Top with more zest.

SOBA-NOODLE BOWL WITH TOFU

Steps:

• Cook noodles in a pot of boiling water until al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain; run under cold water. Stir together soy sauce, lime juice, chili sauce, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon oil. Season with salt.
• Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, ginger, and asparagus; season with salt. Cook 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a cutting board; let cool, then slice on the bias. Toss with noodles and 1/4 cup dressing. Return skillet to medium-high heat; add tofu. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 6 to 8 minutes. Divide noodles among bowls. Top with tofu, cilantro, sesame seeds, and more dressing; serve.

SOBA SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS AND SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon or mesh strainer, transfer asparagus to a colander and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Transfer asparagus to a medium bowl. Return water to a boil; add shrimp and cook until pink and opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to bowl with asparagus. Return water to a boil; add noodles and cook according to package instructions. Drain noodles and rinse under cool water.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oil, vinegar, and sugar. Divide noodles among 4 bowls and drizzle with dressing. Top with asparagus and shrimp and sprinkle with scallions and basil.

PUREE OF ASPARAGUS WITH SOBA NOODLES

Steps:

• Trim the woody ends from the asparagus, peel the bottom halves with a vegetable peeler, and cut into 1-inch lengths. Reserve and set aside the tips.
• Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until golden. Add the broth, celery, potatoes, seasoning, and soy sauce. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Add the asparagus pieces (except for the reserved tips) and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer the solid ingredients to a food processor. Puree in batches until smooth and stir back into the liquid in the soup pot. Or insert an immersion blender into the soup pot and puree until smooth. Let the soup stand off the heat while doing the finishing steps.
• Break the buckwheat noodles into 1- to- 2-inch lengths. In a separate saucepan, cook them in rapidly simmering water until al dente. Drain and rinse them briefly under cool water, then stir into the soup.
• In the same saucepan, steam the reserved asparagus tips until bright green and tender-crisp, then stir into the soup.
• Adjust the consistency of the soup with enough water to give it a slightly thick consistency. Season with freshly ground pepper and additional soy sauce, if needed. Serve at once, garnishing each serving with the almonds and scallions.
• Per serving:
• Calories: 226
• Total fat: 7g
• Protein: 10g
• Fiber: 6g
• Carbohydrate: 37g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 586mg

ASPARAGUS-TOFU NOODLE STIR-FRY

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, red pepper, lemon juice, sesame oil, water, sugar or honey, and salt. Stir in the tofu. Cover and let stand for at least 15 minutes (longer is OK . You can prepare the other ingredients during this time.).
• Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling, salted water until tender. Drain, rinse in warm water, and drain again.
• Place a large wok over medium heat and wait a minute or two. Add 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil, then turn up the heat. Add the asparagus and mushrooms, and stir-fry for several minutes until the asparagus is just tender.
• Add the drained noodles and stir-fry for about 3 more minutes, keeping the heat high. (It helps to use tongs for the stirring at this point.).
• Pour in the entire bowlful of marinade-plus-tofu. Cook and stir another 3 minutes or so, or until the sauce is well distributed and everything is heated through.
• Serve immediately, topped with toasted sesame seeds and/or cashews.