Chilled Soba Noodles with Caviar and Oba
Chef Hidemasa Yamamoto The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C.
Serves 4 as a first course
Sauce
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons dried bonita flakes
½ pound soba noodles, dried
1 bunch oba, diced (Perilla leaves or Aojiso, available in Japanese markets)
⅓ bunch fresh chives, chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce sevruga caviar
Make the sauce: In a saucepan, combine the water, soy sauce, and mirin. Bring to a boil and add the bonita. Remove from the heat and let steep for 30 seconds. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
In a large pot, bring at least 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Do not add salt. Add the noodles, stir to separate, and cook until soft (not al dente). Drain and rinse with cold water, then drain again.
In a bowl, combine the noodles, sauce, oba, chives, olive oil, and ½ ounce of the caviar. Toss well. Using a fork, roll the noodles into 4 equal portions, and place each in the center of a chilled dish. Garnish with remaining caviar.
