Spicy Almond Soba Noodles and Honey Basil Beer

Today was supposed to be a gym day. However, due to the late fall storm roaring around the edges of the Sound, traffic was horrific and by the time I got home, rain was slanting sideways. I wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed and drink hot cocoa. But considering we hadn't had a homecooked meal in a few days, what with my head being about to explode out my ears, I gave myself a five minute cool down, allowed myself to skip the gym, and started on the planned meal.
On gym days, we try to pick a meal that can be made fairly quickly, since we often don't get back til seven, and of course my diurnal habits mean I need to be on my way to sleeping at nine. My GYM goes to the market when he gets off work; today he picked up pork tenderloin from the butcher and a bunch of broccoli from one of the Pike stalls. We threw those in a big cast iron skillet and threw some soba noodles in a pot of boiling water for about three minutes. The noodles were mixed with a spicy almond sauce before being topped with the pork and broccoli. A few slivered almonds thrown on top finish it off.

Spicy Almond Soba Noodles
(Adapted from 101 Cookbooks, with, of course, the addition of meat)
Sauce:
1/3 cup almond butter
2-3 teaspoons red curry paste
Juice from half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tbsp very hot water

Mix together the almond butter and red curry paste. Add the lemon juice and salt, then add the water until the mixture has the consistency of peanut sauce, or a nice hearty gravy. You want it to be able to just coat the noodles.

Everything else:
12 oz pork tenderloin
A decent sized bunch of broccoli
8-10 oz soba noodles
Slivered almonds

Rub the pork with salt and pepper before cutting it into 1-inch slices. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil.

Get a large pot of water going on the back burner and keep an ear out for it boiling.

Your olive oil should be hot now. Throw in the pork and saute about five minutes. Then add the broccoli and go until it's tender. Just remember, you don't want that pork to be pink! Let it sit in the hot pan.

By now, your water should be boiling. Throw in a good measure of salt and about 8-10 oz soba noodles. They only need boiling for about three minutes. Drain them and shake as much water from them as possible. I'm sure there is a way to keep soba noodles from combining into one large clump in the pan, but I sure haven't found it.

Dump them into a pan or bowl and add about 2/3 of the sauce, to thoroughly coat the noodles. You can either add the broccoli and pork to the noodle mixture, or serve atop. Top each portion with a bit of additional sauce and slivered almonds.


Bison Basil Honey Beer:
The perfect accompaniment to spicy noodles and a rainy fall night. This beer pours a honey red with very little head. It has aromas of honey and basil, obviously, as well as coriander, lemon, and a bit of grass. Very spicy, seems to use a lot of the same elements as pumpkin beer. Tastes of honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, some squash, and basil. It makes an excellent beer for late fall.

Spiced up Chili

I made this chili a few weeks ago. Since it's modified from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, I thought nothing of adding a little extra chili powder. That is, until I took a few bites and found my sinuses instantly cleared.

But, since I try my best not to waste food, I packed it up and dragged it across the lake to CarrMat (this name is derived from the mail slips which tell him he has a package). CarrMat has some sort of superhuman tolerance for spice, and finished off the rest of it. And even wants the recipe!

Chicken Chili with Two Types of Beans

3 lbs chicken thighs, bone in
1-1.5 large onions
1 large sweet green pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced (I like garlic)
1 15 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz can whole tomatos, undrained
1 16 oz can tomato sauce
7-8 teaspoons chili powder (dial it down to 4-6 if you're a normal individual)
1 teaspoon dried basil
A few dashes of Crystal hot sauce

I tend to use a crock pot when making chili. It's fairly essential to use a crock pot or a dutch oven for this recipe, as you're not cooking the chicken beforehand. The chicken needs a long cooking time so that the meat will separate from the bones. I just throw everything in the pot and leave it be, 8-10 hours on low, 4-5 on high. It can simmer on the stove for a good 4-5 hours.