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As spring in New England turns into summer, we’ve been going through a bit of a heat wave, and I’ve definitely been on a cold food kick—there is nothing better than a chilled dish waiting for you in the fridge, ready to be enjoyed as soon as you get home from work. When I’ve pondered what foods to prepare for these warm days, my mind has inevitably turned to lighter fare like salads, pasta and cold noodles.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve been excited to see fresh “fiddleheads” (the tightly curled ferns that resemble the scrolled top end of a violin) appearing in the produce bins at my local supermarkets. I’ve come to think of fiddleheads as a quintessential New England ingredient—they are often associated with Maine and Vermont or our Canadian neighbors further north. However, fiddleheads are also a common ingredient in Asian cuisine. For example, they are frequently found in the Korean dish bibimbap.

With their asparagus-like flavor and firm but delicate texture, I decided that fiddleheads would be the perfect seasonal addition to some Asian-inspired soba noodles—the perfect cool dish to complement the warm weather.

(Note: Fiddleheads are in season for just a few precious weeks in the spring, so enjoy them while you can! You can also blanch fiddleheads for a few minutes in boiling water, and store them in your freezer for future use. If you can’t find fiddleheads for this recipe, substitute bite-sized pieces of fresh asparagus.)

Soba Noodles with Fiddleheads, Tofu, and Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• About 8 oz. soba noodles (basically one package—weight may vary)
• 40 fiddleheads 
• 4-5 large shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
• ½ cup firm tofu, cubed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Shredded carrot for garnish

Dressing:

Combine the following:

• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar

Directions:

Cook soba noodles according to package directions, then rinse in cold water and set aside.

Clean the fiddleheads by rinsing thoroughly in cold water. Repeat several times, rubbing gently to remove the brown leaf like covering from the surface. Trim tough/brown ends if necessary.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add fiddleheads to blanch for 3-5 minutes. Remove fiddleheads from pot and plunge into a bowl of ice water for 1-2 minutes, then drain.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Add minced garlic and sauté for a minute, then add the fiddleheads, sliced mushrooms and tofu, sautéing for another 2-3 minutes (Fiddleheads should be firm but tender). Remove from heat. 

Toss cold soba noodles with the lemon-sesame-soy mixture and gently stir in the fiddleheads, mushrooms and tofu. Garnish with shredded carrot if desired. Serve and enjoy—this dish can be served immediately, but is also great as a cold dish the next day.

Although tofu has become more widely appreciated in the West as a nutritious food, it still has a reputation for being bland. Agreed, tofu may be insipid by itself, but with a little creative cooking it can be lifted to new heights. The trick with tofu is to add flavor — the thing that it intrinsically lacks. Being porous, firm tofu is a perfect candidate for marination, and its spongy consistency readily absorbs the flavors of whatever it’s mixed with.

In this simple recipe, tofu is cut into thick slices then marinated in a savory Japanese-style sauce before being grilled like a steak — which adds to the overall texture and flavor. These tofu “steaks” are than served on a bed of delicate, slippery soba noodles tossed with stir-fried Asian vegetables.

Grilled Marinated Tofu Steaks with Japanese-style Stir-fried Vegetables and Soba Noodles

Serves 2

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dashi stock powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon miso
• 3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 10 oz (300g) block firm tofu
• 3 1/2 oz (100g) soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 bunch bok choy (or other Asian greens) - roughly chopped
• 1 carrot - peeled and julienned
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 scallion (spring onion) - thinly sliced on diagonal

HEAT the water in a small saucepan until boiling and stir in the dashi powder and sugar until dissolved. REDUCE the heat to a low simmer and add the miso, stirring to dissolve. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and ginger. CUT the block of tofu in half widthwise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. MARINATE the tofu steaks in the mixture, covered in the fridge, for at least 1 hour, turning halfway through. BRING a pot of water to the boil and cook the soba noodles for 4 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain. HEAT a cast iron ridged grill pan over a high heat. ADD the tofu steaks (reserving the marinade) and cook for around 3 minutes each side. WHILE the tofu cooks, heat a wok or large skillet over a high heat, add the canola oil and stir fry the bok choy and carrot for 3 minutes. REDUCE the heat to medium-low, add the reserved marinade liquid, cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes. STIR in the cornstarch paste and cook until thickened. ADD the scallions and soba noodles and stir to mix well and heat through. SERVE on a bed of the noodle-vegetable mixture with the tofu steaks on top (glazed with a little of the sauce).