Soba Noodles with Broccoli Slaw

I hosted a pot luck lunch recently with five former coworkers. We've known each other about 20 years now, but it's been almost two years since we all got together. Time flies. Life happens. Seasons change. But we can all still connect like no time has passed at all. :)

Here's an easy soba noodle recipe that my friends enjoyed. While I haven't run an actual nutritional profile on it, it's pretty dang healthy, and you could add some protein too.

Soba Noodles with Broccoli Slaw

© South Austin Foodie 2017

10 oz soba noodles (whole wheat spaghetti works too)

12 oz bag broccoli slaw

2 medium cloves garlic, center stalk removed (that's where the bitter garlic taste is)

½ inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled

½ cup soy sauce (I prefer a higher quality soy sauce that has better flavor over a low sodium one, but entirely up to you)

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tbls. tahini

1 Tbls. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbls. rice vinegar

Optional 1: chile paste or flakes to taste

Optional 2: 1 - 2 Tbls. sliced scallions or chopped peanuts; ½ tsp. sesame seeds

• Cook noodles to package directions; drain,  rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly. Place in large bowl
• Cook slaw to package, either via microwave (about 3 minutes) or blanching (about 2 minutes); drain and rinse under cold water.
• While noodles cook, prepare the sauce; in a small food processor add remaining ingredients and combine. Taste it! Add more of something if you wish!
• Toss sauce over noodle and combine well. Let refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Add protein of choice if desired (grilled chicken, baked or fried tofu, etc.
• Serves 4 - 6

Like many dishes, it tastes better a few hours after it's been assembled. Also great for picnics/outdoor events because there's no mayo/eggs.

Pear Butterscotch Pie

I bought a new pie dish last week and was immediately inspired to put it to good use! With a smidge of fall-like weather in the air, I thought I would try to summon more cooler temps and less humidity by making something autumnal. I am not a fan of pumpkin, so that was immediately out, and I know I'll be making pecan pie for Thanksgiving, so I decided to pass on that too. Going though some of my saved recipes (three binders worth, and then some!), I came across Pear Butterscotch Pie that had appeared in Gourmet magazine in 2009.

Pear butterscotch pie, from an old Gourmet magazine. I might be able to find a few folks to share this with! #pie #crust #makemyowncrust #doublecrustpie #latticepie #fruitpies #pear #butterscotch #homemade #eatdessertfirst #instafood #foodporn #instayum #foodoftheday #austin360cooks #instadessert #instapie #gourmetmagazine

A photo posted by South Austin Foodie (@southaustinfoodie) on Oct 19, 2016 at 1:57pm PDT

The one note I left on my printout when I made it before was "yum!". Not very descriptive, but it was precisely that. Especially when served a bit warm with fresh whipped cream.
I think I can now add "Yum, YUM!" to my notes. It's a very easy pie to make, only made complicated by the crust. I made my own crust, because I am a pie-purist in that respect. I use Rose Levy Beranbaum's recipe, though I use half butter and half vegetable shortening. And I used Bartlett pears and fresh grated nutmeg, which I think always makes a difference. But if you are not a crust maker, the refrigerated pie crusts will certainly do, and you could do a lattice or other fun, fall-like motif.  Do try to use the fresh nutmeg though!

And thanks to the Austin American-Statesman, who featured my Instagram photo in the newspaper, as part of their #austin360cooks hastags.

Enjoy! And meanwhile, I am still waiting for sweater weather........

Southern Traditions Meats

Some home cooking time! I was invited by Southern Traditions meats to try out a couple of their fresh, grassfed meats. (I was not paid for my opinion of their products.) They are a family-operated farm in Briggs (between Lampasas and Georgetown) that does not use any hormones, antibiotics, or corn in the raising of their animals, and have various cuts of beef, goat, and lamb available.

I picked up some ground lamb and beef at the Hope Farmers Market back in March. With the lamb, I made my favorite lamb meatball recipe that I've made for years. It's got mint, currants, and sesame seeds in them for a bit of a Middle Eastern flair. I cook these in the oven, and use a stoneware dish that has the ridges in it, so the whatever you're cooking sits up, away from the fat that renders. Well, the rendered fat from these lamb meatballs was crystal clear with few impurities -- a sign to me that this is high quality meat! Add a homemade tzatziki sauce and voila!

And of course with the ground beef, I made a big ol' burger! Seared it in a cast iron skillet and finished it off in the oven. Pretzel bun and some leftover pimento cheese from a friend! Delicious.

I would definitely get their meats again, and would love to try some local lamb chops! Look for Southern Traditions meats on Saturdays at the Cedar Park and SFC downtown markets or Sundays at Hope and Lone Star (at the Hill Country Galleria) markets.