Soba Into You!

Soba Noodle Soup With Salmon

It seems as if wet, cold winter is hanging on forever around here. We keep getting glimpses of spring- colorful crocuses peeking through the mud, the occasional sunny afternoon, and longer days! But then . . . WHAM! Snow! Grey skies! And rain, rain, rain! Soup season is certainly not over in Oregon, but I'm no longer craving winter's heavy, creamy concoctions. Tonight, with spring-time hopefulness, I opted for something much lighter and came up with this fast and tasty soba noodle soup. Full of springy veggies and heart-healthy salmon it's perfect for these transitional days as we move into warmer weather (even if winter isn't quite ready to let go.)

Ingredients

- 1 qt. chicken or vegetable broth

- 2 small bunches of baby bok choy, trimmed and sliced

- 1 bunch scallions, ends trimmed and chopped into 1/2" pieces

- 1 carrot, peeled and slices into thin disks

- 1/2 c. frozen peas, thawed

- 2 cloves garlic, grated

- 1 tsp. grated ginger

- 9 oz. soba noodles

- 1/4 c. sake

- 1/4 c. soy sauce

- 2 tsp. sugar

- 2 tsp salt

- fresh ground pepper

- 1 6-7 oz. salmon fillet, diced into 1" chunks

- 4 poached eggs

- Sriracha hot sauce to taste for serving

In a medium sauce pan, bring broth to a boil with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sake, sugar, salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Add peas, scallions, carrot, and bok choy, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes for vegetables to cook and soften. While the vegetables are cooking, bring a small pan of water to a boil and poach begin to poach eggs so that the whites are cooked, but the yolk is still runny.

Add soba noodles to the boiling vegetables and cook about 1-2 minutes until they are softened. Add salmon chunks and cook an additional 1-2 minutes until cooked through. To serve, divide soup among four bowls and top each with a poached egg and a drizzle of Sriracha if desired. Yum!