I must begin tonight by pointing out that my esteemed colleague Runs With Scissors made a bit of calendrical error last week. This series started on August 5, 2006, so this week isn't the Anniversary Edition. But that's perfectly okay, because it means we get to celebrate again in a couple of weeks. Who's bringing the wine, and can somebody volunteer for crackers? I have about 10 pounds of assorted varieties of cheese in my fridge, so we're covered there. Fruit tray will be provided; beer optional but welcome. Maybe, if we're really lucky, we can get Crashing Vor to bring some dolmades. Saturday, August 4. Your presence is respectfully requested.
Earlier this week I was doing one of my patented Whirlwind Errand Runs, in which I save up all the going-to-places that I need to do, plan out the most efficient route, and spend half a day getting all the week's errands done at one time. Saves gas, even if it is terribly exhausting. I ended up at a store which has an extensive cold salad bar and decided to take lunch with me once I saw the Spicy Noodles with Grilled Tofu. I am such a sucker for spicy noodles, I'll even (occasionally) put up with the deleterious effects of wheat for them.
So I got home, put away the groceries that needed freezing or refrigeration, and sat down to enjoy my noodles. They looked fine: chunks of roasted red pepper, flakes of green herby goodness, sauce, dark grilled tofu, and delicious strands of chunky udon noodles.
I sat down. I lifted my fork. I twirled noodles onto it and savored the first bite.
Well.
Those had to be the most tasteless "spicy" noodles I have ever tried. I think I could have fed them to my husband, he of the white bread and Velveeta taste buds, and not heard any objections. Think plain spaghetti with a little oil dressing. The green flakes were dried parsley, I think -- no flavor at all. The red pepper was sweet pepper; no fire at all. No hint of ginger or garlic or soy. What a disappointment!
I had never cooked them before, but now I was on a mission. Spicy Noodles! How tough can they be? Even better, if I make them myself, I can have non-wheat noodles and my immune system will be happier. Loud cheers all around!
So now I have to figure out what goes into the sauce, and how to grill the tofu so that there is some taste to it. I make a checklist of remembered flavors:
- garlic
- ginger
- red pepper flakes
- roasted red peppers (for color and texture, mostly)
- something acidic - rice wine vinegar or maybe citrus juice
- some soy sauce?
- chopped green onions
- a little mild oil to hold it together
That will do to go on with; we'll taste and adjust as we go.
Now for the tofu. Here I go to a couple of cookbooks for ideas and find a very simple soy-ginger marinade/dipping sauce that sounds promising. Source: An Encyclopedia of Chinese Food and Cooking, by Chang and Kutscher (1970).
Soy Ginger Sauce/Marinade
* 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce (wheat-free)
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
* 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
* 1 small garlic clove, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Drain the extra-firm tofu and cut into cubes about 1" on a side. Marinate the cubes in the Soy Ginger sauce for about a half hour while the grill is heating. Drain the cubes and place them on a lightly-oiled grill pan. Grill over a medium-hot fire, turning frequently, until the edges are browned and a little crispy. Remove to a plate.
Back in the kitchen, start the water boiling for the noodles (I used soba or buckwheat noodles; check your local Asian grocery) and make the sauce. These are the amounts I came up with after some experimentation and taste-testing, and you should of course adjust them to suit your own tastes.
Sauce for Spicy Noodles
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
* 1 tablespoon sugar (can be omitted)
* 1 - 2 tablespoons Tamari soy sauce
* about 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
* 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
Whisk all ingredients together.
Once the noodles are done, drain them and toss with the sauce. Stir in the grilled tofu cubes and serve.
Ah, now that's perfection.
Later in the week, I was still in Noodle Mode but I wanted Mediterranean flavors instead of Asian. Using the same sort of approach, I came up with
Kate's Pseudo-Mediterranean Veggie Noodle Bowl
*1/2 pound gluten-free spaghetti
*1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
*1/4 cup olive oil (increase to 1/3 cup for less tangy flavor)
*1 teaspoon dried oregano
*pinch of red pepper flakes, or good grinding of fresh black pepper
*1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
*about 10 - 12 Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Cook spaghetti according to directions; drain and return to pot. Add chickpeas and remaining ingredients, mixing well. Serve at once or chill and serve cold over a bed of lettuce. Makes two good-size servings.
You could also drop some feta cheese on there, too, if you were feeling especially Greek-inspired. Possibly some sliced purple onions as well, although I didn't have any handy. Or how about a bed of baby spinach instead of lettuce?
Sometimes I think that we expect everything prepackaged -- from frozen prepared "dinner in a pouch, just thaw and serve," to tested recipes with precise lists of ingredients, easily searchable in cookbooks or on Recipezaar.com. While those sources are invaluable for reference or finding a starting point -- or for learning to cook -- I wonder if we aren't doing ourselves a disservice by relying entirely on someone else's recipes. Live a little! Change up a recipe! It's really, truly okay to leave out the garlic if you despise it. And by giving yourself a chance to be creative with food, you might find a talent for creating your own favorite dishes that no cookbook could ever give you.
Now - who can come up a noodle dish using fresh blueberries? That would be creative.