Eye for a Recipe

This one-dish meal from the November 2012 issue of Chatelaine is ready in about 30 minutes and is both healthy and tasty. Skinless, boneless chicken thighs are browned and then removed from the pan. Add garlic, ginger, uncooked rice, broth, hoisin and chili-garlic sauce and bring to a boil. Then top with shiitake mushrooms and the browned chicken, cover and cook until the rice is done. Remove the lid, lay baby bok choy on top, cover and cook again until the bok choy is tender and the chicken is done.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure your canola oil and sesame oil do not contain preservatives and look for a chicken broth that is all natural, such as Imagine brand. I have never been able to find hoisin sauce or chili-garlic sauce without artificial ingredients, so I make my own; the recipes are below.

Fresh chili-garlic sauce

Homemade hoisin sauce

Brown skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Remove chicken and add uncooked rice

Add stock, bring to boil and top with shiitakes and browned chicken

When rice is done, top with baby bok choy, cover and continue cooking

Dinner is ready when the bok choy is tender and the chicken is done

One-Pot Asian Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:

Chili-garlic sauce

6 ounces hot chiles (e.g., cayenne, Fresnos, habanero, jalapeno, long, serrano, Thai, or a combination of them), stemmed and chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

1 ½ tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Put all the ingredients in an electric mini chopper or food processor. Process to a coarse texture. Taste and adjust the flavor with add extra salt or sugar. Transfer to a small jar and refrigerate. Let stand at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to blend. Makes about 2/3 cup.

Hoisin sauce

4 tbsp. soy sauce

2 tbsp. peanut butter

1 tbsp. honey

2 tsp. white vinegar

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. sesame seed oil

1 tsp. Chinese-style hot sauce

1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients.

One-Pot Asian Chicken and Rice

1 tbsp canola oil

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp minced ginger

1 ½ cup jasmine rice, rinsed well and drained

3 cups no-salt chicken broth

3 tbsp hoisin sauce

1 to 2 tsp chili-garlic sauce

113 g pkg fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and quartered

4 stalks gai lan or 8 baby bok choy

1 tsp dark sesame oil

Preparation:

Heat a large pot over medium-high. Add canola oil, then chicken. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 min per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Add garlic, ginger and rice to pot. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 min. Add broth. Stir in hoisin and chili-garlic sauce. Arrange mushrooms and chicken over rice and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until rice is almost tender, 10 to 12 min.

Remove lid. Lay greens over chicken and rice. Cover and continue simmering until greens are just tender, about 5 more min. Drizzle sesame oil over finished dish before serving.

From the November 2012 issue of Chatelaine

If you are looking for a hearty and healthy dinner, try this Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine. The ingredient list may seem long, but, once the chopping is done, this vegetarian stew is done in 40 minutes. The spices give the tagine great flavour, and the currants provide a bit of sweetness. The recipe includes a tangy yogurt parsley sauce. If you are not a strict vegetarian, you can use chicken stock. I also used garlic-stuffed olives, because I had them on hand. I substituted turmeric for the saffron.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the labels on the yogurt, tomato paste, spices, stock, chickpeas, currants and olives. Astro Original brand Balkan-style yogurt contains no artificial ingredients. I used No-Name tomato paste, No-Name currants, PC Blue Menu chickpeas, President’s Choice garlic-stuffed olives and Imagine brand chicken stock. Make sure the spices do not contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Saute onion and garlic with spices

Simmer parsnips and turnips in liquid

Add the cauliflower and sweet potato later

Root Vegetable and Cauliflower Tagine with Parsley Yogurt

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups plain whole-milk yogurt

¼ cup finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

2 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch dice

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth

Pinch of saffron threads

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

½ cauliflower (1 pound), cut into bite-size florets

Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

½ cup dried currants

1 ½ cups pitted green olives, quartered

Preparation:

In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the ¼ cup of parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, coriander, crushed red pepper, caraway and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant and glossy, about 3 minutes.

Add the turnips, parsnips, tomatoes and their liquid, broth, saffron and 1 cup of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the turnips and parsnips are beginning to soften, about 20 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes, cauliflower, chickpeas and currants to the pot. Cover partially and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the olives and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the tagine to a serving bowl, garnish with parsley and serve with the yogurt.

From the November 2012 issue of Food and Wine

This recipe was on the cover of the September 1993 Bon Appetit, which, as I recall, was featuring French bistro-style recipes. I was a novice cook in those days, but I thought it would make a lovely dinner party entrée. I managed to pull it off, it was a big hit and I made it several times after that. At some point, I lost that issue of the magazine, and couldn’t find the recipe. Fortunately, I was able to find it online. I recently made it again, and, 20 years later, it is still a great recipe. You can make the delicious sauce in advance, which is a bonus when entertaining. If you don’t have a barbecue, you can bake the chicken in the oven and then proceed to the broiling step. This is great with steamed green beans and mashed potatoes, which soak up all the lovely sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Butter, white wine, purchased chicken stock and Dijon mustard can contain colour, sulfites, sodium benzoate and artificial colour and flavour. I use Gay Lea unsalted butter, which has a single ingredient: cream. If you are sensitive to sulfites, look for a white wine with fewer than 10 parts per million. I use Imagine chicken stock and President’s Choice Old-Fashioned Dijon.

You can make the delicious sauce in advance

Serve the chicken with steamed green beans and mashed potatoes

Ingredients:

2 T unsalted butter
5 shallots, coarsely chopped
5 large mushrooms, quartered
5 tsp cracked black pepper
1 cup dry white wine
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 cubs chicken stock
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 T whole yellow mustard seeds
½ tsp minced fresh thyme

Preparation:

Melt 1 T butter in heavy large skillet over medium high heat. Add shallots, mushrooms and 1 tsp pepper and sauté until vegetables brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil. Add rosemary and thyme sprigs and simmer 5 minutes. Add stock, increase heat to medium high and boil until liquid is reduced to ¾ cup, about 20 minutes. Strain into saucepan (can be made 1 day ahead. cover and refrigerate).

Prepare barbecue (medium high heat). Sprinkle remaining 4 tsp pepper over both sides of chicken. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 5-10 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet.

Preheat broiler. Brush mustard over chicken. Sprinkle with mustard seeds. Broil until brown, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer. Add minced thyme and remaining 1 T butter; whisk until melted.

Divide chicken among plates. Spoon herb sauce around chicken. Serves 4.

From the September 1993 issue of Bon Appetit

Now that the temperature is dropping, I’m craving soups, stews and baked pasta dishes. This Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Pasta from Cook’s Illustrated is several hundred notches up from Kraft Dinner. Cooked penne is mixed with a cream sauce and four cheeses, topped with bread crumbs and baked. This is a great vegetarian meal served with a salad, and would also be an excellent side dish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Some breads contain sulfites or other additives; I used an Ace bakery loaf for this recipe. Cheese can contain colour, so read the label carefully. Use butter with a single ingredient: cream.

This baked pasta calls for four tangy cheeses

Whirl torn slices of bread in the food processor to make crumbs

Boil cream then simmer with the flour

The hot cream and cooked penne melt the cheeses

Place pasta in a baking dish and top with crumbs

Creamy baked four-cheese pasta

Ingredients:

Bread Crumb Topping:

3 or 4 slices white sandwich bread with crusts, torn into quarters

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 ounce)

¼ teaspoon table salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Pasta and Cheese:

4 ounces fontina cheese , shredded (about 1 cup)

3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese , crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese (1 ounce)

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (1/2 ounce)

1 pound penne pasta

1 tablespoon table salt

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups heavy cream

¼ teaspoon table salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation:

For the topping: Pulse bread in food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about ten 1-second pulses (you should have about 1 ½ cups). Transfer to small bowl; stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Set mixture aside.

For the pasta: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.

Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in stockpot. Combine cheeses in large bowl; set aside.

Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water; stir to separate pasta.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat; whisk flour into butter until no lumps remain, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in cream, increase heat to medium, and bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute to ensure that flour cooks. Stir in remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; cover cream mixture to keep hot and set aside.

When pasta is very al dente (when bitten into, pasta should be opaque and slightly underdone at very center), drain about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Add pasta to bowl with cheeses; immediately pour cream mixture over, then cover bowl with foil or large plate and let stand 3 minutes. Uncover bowl and stir with rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl, until cheeses are melted and mixture is thoroughly combined.

Transfer pasta to 13 by 9-inch baking dish, then sprinkle evenly with reserved bread crumbs, pressing down lightly. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6 as a main course.

From the January 2003 issue of Cook’s Illustrated

Just a note to let you know that Eye for a Recipe is now searchable. The search box is on the right side of the home page, below “Archives”. If you have any problems with it, please let me know. I love hearing from visitors to the site, so please leave a comment anytime, including what type of recipe you would like to see more often.

Recipe Sleuth

This recipe from the May 2012 issue of Real Simple is perfect for a weeknight supper. It’s tasty, takes about 45 minutes to make, and uses inexpensive skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs. It’s also a one-dish meal, as the cauliflower roasts along with the chicken. Serve it with a salad or a green vegetable and feel free to use parsley if you don’t like cilantro.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Lime juice concentrates are bitter and contain preservatives, so use juice from a fresh lime.

Make sure the chicken thighs are well browned; this ensures crispy skin

Toss cauliflower in oil

Return chicken to pan, skin side up, and put in the oven

When the chicken is done, add the lime juice and cilantro

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cauliflower and Cilantro

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 head cauliflower (about 1 ½ pounds), cut into florets

2 small dried red chilies or ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation:

Heat oven to 450° F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Working in batches, cook the chicken skin-side down until crisp and golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate; reserve the skillet.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings from the skillet. Add the cauliflower, chilies, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and black pepper; toss to coat. Nestle the chicken skin-side up in the cauliflower, transfer to oven, and roast until the cauliflower is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 22 minutes.

Add the lime juice and cilantro to the skillet and toss to combine. Serve with the lime wedges. Serves 4.

From the May 2012 issue of Real Simple

If you are craving shellfish, try this Fettuccine with Spicy Shellfish by Emeril Lagasse from the July 2012 issue of Food and Wine. The timing on this recipe is very forgiving, because the pasta is cooked, rinsed and then tossed with warm chile oil, cheese and basil. This flavours the pasta and keeps it from sticking together. You then quickly cook the remaining ingredients and reheat the pasta with cooking liquid before serving the pasta in bowls, topped with the seafood, broth, cheese and basil. This recipe also includes sausage, which adds heat and depth of flavour. Dry chorizo is called for, but I used crumbled hot Italian sausage instead and cooked it a little longer. I also used dried pasta, which worked fine.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients to watch out for are the cheese, sausage, clam juice and shrimp. Make sure the Parmigiano-Reggiano does not contain colour and that the sausage is all-natural. The clam juice should contain one ingredient: clam juice. Look for shrimp that is flash-frozen with nothing added, except perhaps salt.

Cook hot pepper flakes in oil for a few minutes.

Add chile oil, cheese and basil to the cooked pasta.

Saute the sausage for a few minutes until it is cooked and the fat has rendered.

Fettuccine with spicy shellfish

Ingredients:

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 pound fresh fettuccine

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

¼ cup shredded basil leaves

6 ounces dry chorizo, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 large shallot, minced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 plum tomatoes—peeled, seeded and chopped

1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed

1 cup bottled clam juice

1 pound mussels, scrubbed

1 pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp

Salt

Preparation:

In a small skillet, combine ¼ cup of the olive oil with the crushed red pepper and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until it is barely al dente; drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Return the pasta to the pot and stir in the warm chile oil, ¼ cup of the cheese and 2 tablespoons of the basil.

In a very large, deep skillet, heat the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered, about 2 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, clams and clam juice, cover and cook until the clams just begin to open, about 5 minutes. Add the mussels, cover and cook until all the shells have opened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp, season with salt and cook until pink and curled, about 2 minutes.

Using a ladle, transfer half of the liquid to the pasta in the pot and cook over high heat, tossing, until the pasta is al dente and heated through, about 2 minutes. Divide the pasta between bowls and spoon the shellfish all around. Ladle the broth on top and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of shredded basil and ¼ cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve right away. Serves 6.

From the July 2012 issue of Food and Wine

The June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit ran a multi-page spread on homemade tacos that made my mouth water. In addition to homemade corn tortillas, the recipes for fillings included homemade chorizo, shrimp in adobo, seared short ribs and roasted poblano chiles. But I really wanted to make the corn tortillas, since I have not been able to find any that are additive-free. The first challenge was finding the masa flour. It took some searching, but I found it at a health food store. The second challenge was finding a tortilla press. But my local kitchen store just got some (having been sold out in June, probably because of the Bon Appetit story). I was finally ready! And it was worth it. The dough comes together in a jiffy and the low-tech tortilla press is amazing. The results bear no resemblance to those taco shells that come in a box with a chemical-laden seasoning mix; homemade corn tortillas are pliable, tasty and perfect for a whole range of fillings. I made them with fried shrimp last week (a recipe from Real Simple magazine), but will be trying all kinds of things – including enchiladas – with them soon. I made half the recipe, which yielded nine four-inch tortillas.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients to check in the filling are the beans (PC Blue Menu brand black beans are additive-free), the sour cream (light sour cream often contains chemicals) and the hot sauce. I used Tabasco original brand.

This is the masa flour I used for the dough

The dough is very easy to make - it should be fairly dry

Place a heaping tablespoon of dough in press lined with plastic wrap or a freezer bag cut into two circles the size of the press

This press makes four-inch tortillas

Brush with oil and cook for 1-3 minutes on one side

Turn and cook for a few seconds on the other side

Dredge and fry up some shrimp

Shrimp tacos with fresh corn tortillas

Ingredients:

For tacos

2 cups (or more) masa (corn tortilla mix; preferably Maseca brand)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Vegetable oil (for brushing)

For filling

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

4 scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated

2 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 pound peeled and deveined small shrimp

1 large egg white, beaten

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

8 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed

Cut up avocado, salsa, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, and lime wedges, for serving

Preparation:

For tacos

Whisk masa and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water; knead in bowl until dough forms. The dough should feel firm and springy and look slightly dry (think Play-Doh). Add more water by tablespoonfuls if too crumbly; add a little more masa if too wet.

Measure 1 heaping Tbsp. dough and roll into a ball. Flatten on a tortilla press lined with a plastic bag. If tortilla crumbles, dough is too dry (add more water); if it sticks to the plastic, dough is too wet (add more masa). Repeat, pressing out 2 more tortillas. Don’t press them too thin, or they will stick.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat; lightly brush with oil. Cook 2–3 tortillas until charred in spots and edges start to curl, 1–2 minutes. Turn; cook through, about 15 seconds. Transfer to a kitchen towel; fold over to keep warm. Repeat, in batches, with remaining dough.

For filling

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, ¼ cup water, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens.

In a shallow bowl, toss the shrimp with the egg white. In a second shallow bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.

Heat the remaining ½ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve in the tortillas with the avocado, salsa, cilantro, hot sauce, sour cream, and lime wedges, alongside the beans.

From the June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit and from Real Simple magazine

I’m usually wary of scallops, because they are often pumped full of water and phosphates to make them weigh more and appear snow white. These scallops are sometimes called wet scallops and are difficult to sear properly. Dry scallops, on the other hand are untreated and sear well. Scallops are now in season, so we were able to find some nice ones recently. I used them in this recipe from the September 2012 issue of Bon Appetit and they were excellent. The scallops are seared in butter and thyme and then topped with an almond vinaigrette. Don’t overcook the scallops or they will be tough – two to three minutes a side should be fine. A smear of peach or apricot preserves on the plate makes a very pretty presentation. This dish could be served as either an appetizer or main course.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

In addition to the scallops, the almonds, vinegar, butter and preserves may contain artificial ingredients. Check the label on the almonds to makes sure nothing has been added. Look for unsalted butter with a single ingredient: cream (if you don’t use much butter, store it in the freezer). I didn’t have sulfite-free white vinegar on hand, so I used Eden Organic brand red wine vinegar and it was fine. I also didn’t have peach preserves, so I used Greaves peach apricot jam, which contains only sugar and apricots.

This vinaigrette uses finely chopped almonds

Sear the scallops for 2-3 minutes on one side

Add butter and thyme and sear the other side

Seared scallops with almond vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1/4 cup roasted almonds, preferably Marcona

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon (or more) Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

8 large sea scallops (about 9 oz.), side muscle removed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons peach preserves

Fresh herbs, baby arugula, or microgreens

Preparation:

Finely chop almonds into small pieces but not into a powder. Mix almonds and 4 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 Tbsp. vinegar and chives; season vinaigrette with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if desired.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Add to skillet. Cook until deep golden and caramelized, 2–3 minutes. Turn scallops; add butter and thyme. Cook, frequently tilting skillet and spooning butter over, until scallops are deep golden and just cooked through, 2–3 minutes longer. (Basting adds extra flavor.)

Stir preserves and 1/2 tsp. water in a small bowl to loosen. For an appetizer, smear about 1/2 Tbsp. preserve mixture in center of each plate. For an entrée, smear 1 Tbsp. preserve mixture. Top with 2–4 scallops each. Drizzle some vinaigrette over. Garnish with herbs.

From the September 2012 issue of Bon Appetit

We love all kinds of pasta salads, and this one from the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit is a keeper. It is made with buckwheat soba noodles, which are a nice change from regular spaghetti or vermicelli. The other good thing about this recipe is that you can use whatever vegetables you like—I used radishes, cucumbers, and red, yellow and hot banana peppers. Cilantro adds great flavour, but not everyone likes it; substitute parsley if you wish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

The ingredients that may contain artificial ingredients include the rice vinegar, Sriracha and sesame oil. I used Marukan brand rice vinegar and Eden brand toasted sesame oil. I have not been able to find an all-natural Sriracha—a hot chili sauce—so I used a teaspoon of Tabasco sauce instead.

Use whatever vegetables you like in this salad

Cilantro and scallions add flavour

Try buckwheat soba noodles or use regular long pasta

Cold Sesame Noodles with Summer Vegetables

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chili sauce)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

8 cups matchstick-size pieces mixed summer vegetables (such as carrots, radishes, cucumbers, and bell peppers; about 1 1/4 pounds)

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

8 ounces buckwheat soba (Japanese-style noodles) or vermicelli noodles

1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds

Preparation:

Whisk first four ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetables; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain. Run noodles under cold water to cool them; drain well and add to bowl with vegetables. Add cilantro and scallions; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle sesame seeds over and serve. Serves 4-6.

From the July 2012 issue of Bon Appetit