Spring Soba With Tinned Fish
Published April 20, 2022
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 2(3- to 5-ounce) cans mackerel or sardines packed in olive oil
- 2bunches scallions (about 12), ends trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced
- ¼cup drained capers, patted dry
- 2cups trimmed and thinly sliced asparagus, snap peas, snow peas or a mix (1 bunch asparagus or 6 ounces peas)
- 8.8 to 12ounces soba noodles or whole wheat pasta (depending on package size)
- 1lemon, zested and juiced, plus more juice as needed
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
383 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 1012 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Hold the mackerel with your fingers and pour the oil from both cans into a large skillet or Dutch oven. (Some bits of fish are OK. If you’re using fish packed in water, add ¼ cup oil to the skillet.) Set over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add the scallions and capers, and cook, stirring once or twice, until charred in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the sliced vegetables and ½ teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Set aside until the noodles are ready.
- Step 2
When the water’s boiling, add the noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain, and if using soba, rinse under cold water until no longer sticky and shake the colander to remove as much water as possible. Add the noodles to the skillet along with the lemon zest and juice, and toss until combined. Add the mackerel and toss just until combined and broken into bite-size pieces. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice until flavors are bright. Eat warm or at room temperature. (Leftovers will keep for up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before eating and add salt, lemon juice and olive oil to taste.)
Private Notes
Comments
Comes together quickly and pretty good. I used 10 oz soba, a bundle of asparagus, and vacuum packed smoked trout, as I bought sardines for this but it turns out I had trout near expiration in the fridge. The smokiness gave this much oomph. Lemon and capers provide the brightness. And it’s a lot of scallions! Which deterred me from adding garlic but I would try adding it next time.
So good!! Quick prep. I used 8 oz. soba noodles, equal amounts asparagus and snap peas, and canned sardines. Made as directed but did leave the skillet with the scallions and capers on the burner for a few minutes after I added the veggies, noodles, lemon zest and juice to warm it up. I will definitely make it again!
You should eat this. Everyone (who eats fish and doesn't have intolerances) should eat this. And while I recognize that the recipe is all about taking soba in an other-than-Japanese direction, nixing the capers and stirring a healthy dose of a light (white, yellow, or barley) miso into the veg is also a very good idea.
I was surprised at how good this was! I added some spring garlic as well, which was very nice.
I just made this dish tonight and utilized some of the suggestions from previous comments. Because I am watching carbs, I used only 3 oz of Soba noodles. I cooked the noodles al dente in the afternoon and stored them in cold water in the fridge, draining them and rinsing them with hot water before adding them to the veggies. I also diced in 1/2 a Morroccan lemon including the inside of the lemon. I added a bit of Alleppo pepper flakes, which gave it a subltle zing.
We had canned smoked sardines we'd bought for a snack, so we used them. We used the pasta we had on hand, added garlic, reduced the capers and eliminated the salt, and used olive oil given the very-smoky canning oil. Simple and tasty.