Recipe: Soba Salad with Peas and Pea Shoots

While dining at the new Pine & Crane Taiwanese restaurant in Silver Lake, I picked up a bag pea shoots, organically grown on the family's farm in Bakersfield. Bright and delicate, pea shoots or pea sprouts are some of the loveliest signs of spring. Here I've combined them with peas (fresh or frozen are fine) in a light and gingery soba noodle salad. This is a great make-ahead lunch or spring picnic dish. For a more substantial meal, you might consider adding cubes of tofu.

Soba Salad with Peas and Pea Shoots
Makes 2 large or 4 small servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons tamari (see Recipe Notes)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 scallions
8 ounces soba noodles (see Recipe Notes)
6 ounces (about 1 cup) shelled peas
4 ounces pea shoots
2 tablespoons chiffonade of mint
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Handful of pea shoots and mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Whisk together the olive oil, rice vinegar, tamari, ginger, sesame oil, honey, pepper and scallions in a large bowl. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles and peas together until the noodles are tender. Drain the noodles and peas in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain well.

Add the noodles, peas, peas shoots, and mint to the dressing and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and additional pea shoots and mint (if using).

Serve cold or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes:
• For a gluten-free recipe, use wheat-free tamari and 100% buckwheat soba noodles.