Simple Meals: Soba Noodles w/ Baby Broccoli & Fried Egg

I have a confession to make.
I actually made this at 9 a.m.

I was trying out the recipe (and like to photograph food in the morning), and wound up eating the entire bowl for breakfast.

I made it again for dinner for the other eater in the house, and it was a huge hit.

It's almost time to say goodbye to my broccolini in the garden. It has been the BEST crop I have had all summer.

Every week, I cut off enough of the little shoots it produces for a lunch or a side dish for dinner. I use it even if it has the yellow flowers. I even use the tender leaves.

I have exhausted the plants, and they are ready to go to seed and die for the winter. But wow, they were the sweetest and most tender baby broccoli ever.

Thank you broccolini!

We planted our fall seeds in the garden in hopes to have a new crop of broccoli for October (broccoli likes cool weather).

We planted Calabrese variety, in hopes to have the same type of plants, with shoots that keep producing even after you cut the stems.

Here is another, simple, healthy meal adapted from that wonderful book I am loving called A Change of Appetite.

If you don't have soba noodles (which are Japanese buckwheat noodles), then substitute linguine.

Kids will love this meal too.

Soba Noodles w/ Baby Broccoli & Fried Egg: (adapted from A Change of Appetite)

6 oz. of soba noodles or linguine
big bunch of broccolini, also known as baby broccoli (not broccoli rabe)
1-2 tbsp peanut oil
1/2" piece of ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
a shake of hot chili flakes
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 scallions, chopped
1 egg per person
sesame seeds for the top
fresh cilantro, because I love it

The key to this dish is to have everything ready to go. Mise en place.

Trim and steam the broccolini for 4 minutes and set aside.

Boil the soba noodles as per package instructions (usually takes 7 minutes).

In a large deep saucepan, add some peanut oil and saute the garlic and ginger with the chili flakes just until the garlic is fragrant and pale yellow.

Add in the soy sauce to the pan and time it so you can drain the noodles. Transfer them to the pan immediately and toss around in the soy, ginger, garlic mixture.

Toss in the broccolini and scallions to coat w/ the sauce. If it seems dry, you can add in some more oil, soy sauce or pasta water, don't be shy.

Cover to keep the noodles and broccolini warm and fry an egg in another frying pan with oil on another burner.............you will have to work fast, make sure your pans are all out and ready!

Plate the soba noodles with some broccoli and shake some sesame seeds all over, and lay a fried egg on top.
Garnish with fresh cilantro if you like.

This was soooo yummy, and soooo easy!