Salad Days

Lately restaurants bore me. When faced with the choice of where to eat out, what is normally a joyous prospect has me drawing a blank. Where to go? I wonder. "Well," I ask myself, "what do you feel like eating?" But nothing anyone serves appeals to me. I guess the reality is that for the moment I'm over cooked foods; anything subjected to the oven makes me lose my appetite. Maybe its the heat, this being summer and all, and us without air conditioning. Then there's the matter of the embarrassment of riches at the farmer's markets - too much gorgeous produce to pass up. As a result, all I want to eat is homemade salad, either on my front porch or in the backyard, with a cold Red Stripe, and a few friends. And because everyone likes to pretend their life is a movie, I crank up Stevie Wonder's Hotter Than July as soundtrack, and I'm one happy lady.

To that end, here is what I made for dinner last night. It serves about 4 generously if that's all you're having. It might serve a few more if you accompany it with a protein; and who can fault a few grilled spicy marinated lamp chops with it? Especially if you have a volunteer happy to be in charge of the grill.

Asian Noodle Slaw


1 package soba noodles, cooked, drained and rinsed in cool water
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
4 green onions, diced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 carrots, shredded
1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine
Handful of sesame seeds, toasted

Toss with the following vinaigrette:
1 Tbsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp safflower oil
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
a squeeze of honey
salt & pepper to taste