I developed this recipe for an incredible event called the Winter Vegetable Sagra hosted by my good friend Lane Selman. Lane is a personal hero and a force of nature. She brings the kind of enthusiasm and spirit to organic vegetable breeding that others bring to professional sports! Her star athletes are scholars, scientists and farmers who devote themselves to the careful task of breeding vegetables for flavor, organic farming systems, climate change resilience, and beauty. Lane organizes the myriad stars of this universe through a group she leads called the Culinary Breeding Network, and you must now stop whatever you are doing to follow @culinarybreedingnetwork on instagram and then visit their website to see when their next event will be. Always, always, these are the best food events of all—the most meaningful, personal, exciting, delicious, revelatory!
My assignment was Brussels sprouts, which was a dream because I love those funny mini cabbage-like balls that grow like Hollyhocks along the stock. I had just finished developing a yakisoba noodles for Portland Public Schools. Traditionally, yakisoba would be served with cabbage, but Brussels are a great replacement, offering their own distinct flavor and vivid color. Because you're shredding the Brussels sprouts, there's no need to core them. My secret is to simply use the Cuisinart shredder. I pop the Brussels in one by one and save myself all the work of cutting. You can do this in advance and place the shredded Brussels sprouts in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel for up to a day. The Brussels tangle so wonderfully with our noodles. It’s a textural treat. Sautéed Brussels are also great with pasta, finished with a squeeze of lemon and a shower of Parm. This recipe is a riff on one our dear friend Jane Hashimawari of Ippai PDX shared with us. I almost always top with a bit of Kewpie mayonnaise because it takes it to 100.
Makes 4 servings | Active time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: Easy
1/2 pound Brussels sprouts
4 tablespoons oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Heavy pinch salt
Fresh grind black pepper
1 pound Umi Organic whole grain yakisoba stir-fry noodles
1/2 cup Umi Organic yakisoba sauce
Optional: 2 teaspoons aonori (powdered seaweed), Kewpie or other mayonnaise, kizami shoga (pickled ginger matchsticks)
Place the Brussels sprouts in the tube of the food processor fitted with a large slicing disc. (There is no need to core them.) Process the Brussels sprouts until they're all sliced. In a large skillet (preferably non-stick), heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts, onions, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, and heavy grind of black pepper and sauté, stirring frequently, for about 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but still bright green. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Set aside.
While pan is still hot, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and Umi yakisoba noodles. Stir, loosening noodles while they cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add vegetables back to the pan. Add Oliver sauce or other yakisoba sauce, mix well, and cook over medium-high heat for a few more minutes or until you see a nice “yaki” color on the noodles and vegetables. Remove from heat, add 2 teaspoons of optional aonori and mix. Serve, topping each portion with an extra sprinkle of aonori, a pinch of kizami shoga, and a squeeze of Kewpie if you have them. Itadakimasu!
Photos by Shawn Linehan.
