Soba Salad with Feta and Peas

Soba noodles are long, thin Japanese noodles made from buckwheat.  They are generally available in well-stocked grocery stores and in Japanese specialty food stores, or you can buy them in bulk on-line here.  Peas, feta, and Japanese noodles may sound at first like an odd combination, but they surprisingly compliment each other very nicely!

Spring has sprung here in New York City, for now at least.  After a long winter I always forget how freeing it feels to walk around outside without a heavy coat on.


This salad feels like spring to me, although it's made with frozen peas so it doesn't necessarily have to be.  But I think it would make a great dish for a picnic or porch supper on a warm night.  In my case, it made for great work lunches as I gazed out the window at the beautiful day and enjoyed the breeze through the open door.

I can't say enough how fast and easy this salad is to make.  From beginning to end it shouldn't take much more than twenty minutes, and it keeps well for leftovers.  I managed to make the whole dish before I left for work this morning and even took this lovely photograph before I packaged it all up!


Soba Salad with Peas and Feta
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, July 2006

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (10- to 12-ounce) package soba noodles
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby peas
• 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 ounces feta, crumbled (3/4 cup)
• Accompaniment: coarsely ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Cook noodles and peas together in a 6- to 8-quart pot of lightly salted boiling water until noodles are tender, 5-8 minutes.

While noodles cook, whisk together scallions, oil, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Drain noodles and peas well in a colander, then rinse under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain well again, then add to dressing along with feta. Grind pepper to taste over salad.

Serve cooled salad immediately, or store in containers for up to 2-3 days.

Serves 4 as a main dish or 6-8 as an appetizer or side.