CSA Veggies in cold soba salad with soy-red wine reduction

Adapted from “Umami Bomb” by Raquel Pelzel. It’s pretty easy to switch out veggies if you’d like to try a different combination, but I’d suggest keeping the veggies raw for a nice crunchy texture along the soft soba noodles.

Let’s say you’ve got a busy week in front of you and you need to prepare all your CSA veggies once so you can eat them through the week — this is a great recipe for that.

1 cup red wine

1/3 cup of soy sauce

1 package soba noodles

1 block firm tofu, cut into planks, dashed with fish sauce, salt and lime zest

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 package shishito peppers, tops removed, diced

3 carrots, peeled if dirty, cut into small rounds

1 bunch collards, remove bottom stem, roll and slice into thin ribbons

4 garlic cloves, peeled and grated or minced

1-inch piece of ginger, peel and grated or minced

A few splashes of red or white vinegar

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Handful of basil leaves finely chopped

1. Combine the red wine, soy sauce and ½ teaspoon of salt in a medium saucepan and simmer gently for 15 - 20 minutes. Take off heat and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil soba noodles according to the package instructions until the soba is tender. Drain through a fine mesh sieve and rinse the soba under sold water to cool it down. Set aside. 

3. Drizzle oil on pan, preferably cast iron, and place tofu on hot surface. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once mid-cook, so that the outside of the tofu has a brown, crispy exterior.

4. Place the shishito pepper, collards, carrots, garlic, ginger, vinegar, lime juice and zest, and 2 teaspoons of salt in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

5. Place the cooled soba noodles in a large bowl. Top with the vegetables, then sprinkle with the basil. When serving, drizzle with soy-red wine sauce.