Good Day for a Picnic

I'm in a cookbook club. DId I mention that? It's awesome. We pick a book and get together every couple of months. It's basically a giant potluck guaranteed to happen 6 times a year. And we always end up with tons of leftovers.

It's great to know so many smart, creative people who enjoy food just as much as me.

Anyways, I'm blowing the dust off this space to share this recipe from our most recent meetup. Since I made it for our picnic a few weeks back I've already made it several more times. Quick, satisifying and great on a hot summer day.

Sesame Noodle Salad adapted from A Good Day for a Picnic

8 oz. asian wheat noodles (or thin spagetti)
1 Tablespoon raw sesame seeds (or just skip since most of these end up at the bottom of the bowl)
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (when I doubled this recipe I cut the oil down to 1/2 cup)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger (mincing is for folks w/too much time, I just micro-grated mine)
3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons lime juice (or if you're like me the juice of a single lime w/out measuring)
2 teaspoons chill-garlic sauce
1 small cucumber peeled and seeded and cut into half circles
Salt to taste

Boil the noodles according to directions. Rinse and drain w/cold water to prevent from sticking together.

Toast the sesame seeds over a medium low heat until they have just started to brown. 5-10 minutes. Reserve the seeds.

In the same skillet, heat the sesame oli over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the ginger and garlic and saute for 15 seconds. Then add all the liquid ingredicents. Bring to simmer and simmer for 1 minute.

Toss the noodles w/the sauce. Add seeds and top with cucumbers.

Can be served at room temp or cold.

Keeps for 2 days.

P.S. We don't always get it right. Once we cooked from Cookin' with Coolio. Things happen.

Comments

[Chris]

A. Two posts in a week! Awesome :)
B. The cookbook club is almost enough motivation to move to Seattle. I may need to think about starting something like that here.

[sprizee]

Thanks Chris! You should start one in Boston! It's a great excuse to get together, try some new recipes and eat a bunch of different food while only having to actually make one thing. I've enjoyed so many labor intensive recipes that I would never have the patience to make myself, thanks to all the other lovely folks in my cookbook club who are more talented when it comes to food science, prep and the things they are willing to take on. Buns that take a whole day to bake! Homemade tortillas! Croquets! Twice baked things! And so on... :)

[WhatUpThen]

Spriz, where you at??