Soba noodles and tender asparagus provide a solid and transportable base for the lemony sauce -- a riff on traditional pesto, with peanuts swapped in for pine nuts, and the cheese eliminated.
Makes 2 small servings or 1 very generous serving
4 tablespoons unsalted peanuts
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 packed cup cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil
1 8-ounce package soba noodles
1 bunch asparagus spears, ends trimmed then cut into 1/2-inch segments
2 tablespoons peeled, grated fresh ginger
1 small bunch spring onions or scallions, thinly sliced
A few crushed peanuts for garnish (optional)
In a small food processor, pulse the peanuts and garlic until finely ground. Add the cilantro, lemon juice and salt and process to a paste. Add the olive oil and pulse once or twice to just combine. Taste and, if needed, add a little more olive oil or lemon juice for consistency.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the soba noodles per package instructions. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the asparagus. Drain noodles and asparagus, run under cold water for about a minute to stop cooking, and set aside.
Gently toss the noodles with the cilantro pesto, asparagus, ginger, spring onions and crushed peanuts if using.
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