Shrimp Pesto Soba Noodles
A Japanese-Italian fusion: buckwheat soba noodles tossed with homemade basil pesto and sautéed shrimp. Placed under Japan for the defining soba base, though the pesto is Italian. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
| 6 ounces | 170 g | Soba noodles (or noodles of choice) |
| 1 pound | 455 g | Shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | Extra-virgin olive oil |
| 1/2 | Lemon | |
| 4 to 6 tablespoons | 60–90 ml | Basil pesto (recipe below) |
| 1/2 | Seedless (English/hothouse) cucumber | |
| 1 | Scallion, thinly sliced | |
| — | Salt and fresh ground black pepper | |
| 1 handful | Torn or small basil leaves, for serving | |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | Fresh basil leaves (for pesto) |
| 1 | Garlic clove | |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | Pine nuts or walnuts, lightly toasted |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | Olive oil (plus more for storing) |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | Finely grated pecorino or parmesan |
Instructions
- Make the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the soba and cook until done but not mushy (usually 4 to 5 minutes; check package). Drain, then immediately rinse under cold water until no longer hot.
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in one layer and cook, turning occasionally, until pink, firm and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Use a vegetable peeler or mandoline to shave the cucumber lengthwise into thin strips, or chop into bite-size pieces.
- Combine the noodles, shrimp, cucumber and 4 tablespoons of the pesto. Toss well, adding more pesto as needed. Squeeze over the lemon and season with salt and pepper. Serve with scallions and torn basil scattered on top.
- Homemade pesto: Prepare a small bowl of ice water. Bring a small saucepan half-filled with salted water to a boil. Submerge the basil for 5 to 10 seconds until wilted, then plunge into the ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and pat dry (this keeps the pesto bright green; the blanching step can be skipped).
- Smash, peel and mince the garlic, then scrape it into a fine paste with the flat of the knife.
- Add the garlic and pine nuts to a food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times. Add the basil and, with the processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Check the consistency; pulse more for a smoother pesto.
- Transfer to a bowl, stir in the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store. Tips: Not all soba is 100% gluten-free — check the package for added wheat. To store pesto, add a thin layer of oil on top, cover and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. To freeze, omit the cheese, freeze in ice-cube trays, then bag the cubes for up to 1 month.