Cold Sesame Noodles with Summer Squash

Its only two weeks to moving day now and life is a little surreal around here. We are in crazy packing mode, and I’m trying to fit in visits and goodbyes with friends wherever I can. Nearly two decades in Brooklyn went so fast and I still can’t really believe I’m leaving. I think its funny-ironic timing that Kerry and I were just in a photo taken at the Brooklyn Uncorked event at BAM, which was a pretty fantastic event. I love the food and wine scene here and will really miss it. I’m incredibly excited about life working in food in wine country so that’s where I’m trying to focus. Somehow it looks like I have a great job leading the food program at a new gourmet market in Guerneville called Big Bottom Market and my mind is now whirling with recipes and the tantalizing possibilities. Life is good right now. So that brings me to this recipe. I made for a summer roof party because I was craving that salty, luscious taste of the take-out favorite, but I wanted to make it my own. I played around with making it gluten-free so I used 1/4 rice noodles and the rest is yellow and green squash, cut into noodle-like strips with a mandolin. Its pretty quick if you have the right tool (and I LOVE my OXO one). If you don’t have a mandolin you could use a pound of rice noodles instead. The recipe makes more peanut sauce than you will need so add a little at a time and use the leftover for a delicious dipping sauce for grilled chicken kebabs or cucumbers.

Cold Sesame Noodles with Summer Squash
1 green zucchini, cut in julianne strips
1 yellow squash, cut in julianne strips
1/4 lb rice noodles
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons wheat-free Tamari (or soy sauce if you aren't trying to eliminate gluten)
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Sriacha hot sauce (or Tabasco)
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 cup minced scallion
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Slice the zucchini and yellow squash in julianne slices, ideally on a mandoline.
3. When the water comes to a boil, cook the noodles al dente.
4. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the sesame oil and paste, sugar, soy, ginger, vinegar, Sriracha, and black peper in a large bowl. Thin the sauce with hot water so that its about the consistency of heavy cream; you will need 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water. Stir in the squash.
5. When the pasta is done, drain it and run the pasta under cold water. Drain well.
6. Toss the noodles with the sauce and the squash. Taste, and add salt if necessary.
7. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds and serve.