This miso pesto was initially inspired by a receipt in Bon Appetit. It was a staple at our farmers market for several years, and it evolved over time into something quite unique. The pesto is smooth and creamy and works beautifully as a dressing. The word pesto is a little misleading, but the cornerstones are there: umami in the form of miso instead of parmesan; herbs, in this case cilantro instead of basil; nutty richness through sesame oil instead of pine nuts or walnuts; and richness through sunflower oil instead of olive oil. I like Umi noodles tossed in pesto as a whole meal, but it’s great with some sliced ripe tomato in season, wedges of roasted winter squash, or something more substantial like panfried chicken or tofu. There is no cooking in this recipe, aside from boiling the noodles, which can be a sweet relief on a busy day. This recipe makes 3 times more pesto than you’ll need, so keep extra in the fridge or freezer. Pesto will keep in the fridge up to 2 days or in the freezer for a few months.
Makes 1-1/2 cups pesto and 3 servings noodles
1 bunch cilantro, washed and tips cut off
1/2 bunch or a few handfuls greens, washed (spinach, mustard greens, kale, or beet greens)
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/4 cup white or chickpea miso
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon yuzu kosho - a spicy, citrusy Japanese condiment (optional)
1/2 cup sunflower oil plus more for tossing noodles
1 package (12 ounces) Umi Organic ramen noodles
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.
In a blender or Cuisinart, combine everything except the sunflower oil and the Umi noodles. Blend until combined. Slowly pour in the sunflower oil, stopping and starting as needed, until the pesto is smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Tease apart the Umi noodles. Add to boiling water and set a timer for 2 minutes. When timer sounds, drain noodles, briefly rinse noodles under cold running water, and shake out water thoroughly. Add to a bowl, drizzle a little oil, and toss to coat noodles so they won’t stick. Add 1/2 cup pesto and toss thoroughly. Taste and add more pesto as needed. Serve!
Photos by Shawn Linehan.
