One Perfect Bite: sesame

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Sesame Noodles for a Crowd

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Hail, hail the gang's all here - what the heck do we eat now? Something fast and simple with a final caveat that it must be delicious and worthy of a family feast. It took me years to learn to cook for two once the children had left home. Now that we are vacationing together, the coin is flipped and I have to pull recipes from mothballs or scramble to find new ones that can be scaled to feed the hungry horde. I had some help from Ree Drummond this year. I'd been eyeing her recipe for sesame noodles and decided to serve them as a side on the night I was responsible for dinner. I doubled her already large recipe and served the noodles with an Asian salad and Korean barbecued chicken. It was a great meal, thanks in part to her very simple recipe for those noodles. When I make this dish I use Chinese egg noodles rather than spaghetti. I packed the noodles in my luggage on the off chance that they would not be available on Cape Cod. It was a wise call. If you are unfamiliar with these noodles and decide to try them, be aware that they are not cooked in the same way as Italian pasta and it is imperative that you follow the manufacturer's directions for cooking them. While the noodles need a bit of time to cool, they can be made in 15 effortless minutes and I think you will love them. They are perfect for buffets, barbecues and picnics and should there be any leftovers, they will keep well for several days. The only caution I want to share with you, is the importance of saucing the noodles while they are hot and able to absorb all the lovely flavors swimming in the sauce. If you have never used Chinese hot chili oil, proceed with caution and add it in increments rather than in one fell swoop. It is hot, hot, hot and while you can always add more, you can't back out heat once it has been added.I hope you will try the noodles this summer. Here is how they are made.

Sesame Noodles for a Crowd...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Ree Drummond

Ingredients:
2 (16-oz. each) packages thin Chinese egg noodles or Italian capellini, cooked and drained per manufacturer's directions
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon red hot chili oil or red pepper flakes
1/2 cup canola oil
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:
1) Combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, canola oil and chili oil in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Adjust ingredients to taste.
2) Cook noodles per package directions, drain and add to sauce while still warm. Toss noodles with sauce to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with scallions and toss again. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 16 servings.

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