Strawberry Soba Noodle Salad

To me, there is nothing more refreshing for a warm-weather meal than a cold noodle salad. Although adding strawberries to a salad like this may seem unusual — and it is — the combination really works. The juiciness of the berries adds a cool and sweet-tart contrast to the slight spiciness of the peppers and the salty miso dressing. The salad can marinate and improve for several hours, or even a day or two, but the strawberries won’t hold up well, so toss them in just before serving. This salad would go very well with anything off the grill, especially chicken, flank steak and pork tenderloin.

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INGREDIENTS

For the dressing: 

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white miso

1 hot red chile, finely minced, or more to taste

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

For the salad: 

One 8.8-ounce package soba noodles

4 ounces shishito peppers (if they're not in season, substitute cubanelle or poblano peppers)

1/2 cucumber -- peeled, seeded and thinly sliced on the bias into 1/4-inch half moons

2 cups strawberries, hulled and halved (about 1/2 pound whole)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1.4 cup mint, roughly chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

PREPARATION

1. Make the dressing: Stir the rice vinegar, sugar and salt together until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the miso, chile and sesame oil; whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Drain well. Toss the noodles with the dressing.

3. Grill the shishito peppers on a grill or grill pan or in a cast-iron skillet until they're blistered and softened, about 2 to 3 minutes a side. Let them cool, then slice on a bias and discard the seeds.

4. Top the dressed noodles with the grilled peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, scallions, mint and cilantro. Mix gently to combine and serve.