Szechuan Noodle Salad in Peanut Sauce
Submitted by louisa
Szechuan noodle salad with fettuccine in a spicy peanut sauce made with ginger, garlic, chili paste, and sesame oil, surrounded by julienned vegetables and ham.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
20 minREADY
60 minA showpiece cold noodle salad with serious Szechuan heat. Fettuccine gets tossed in oil while still warm, chilled, then brought back to room temperature and piled in the center of a platter surrounded by colorful mounds of julienned carrots, cucumber, red pepper, bean sprouts, scallions, and ham. A creamy peanut sauce loaded with fresh ginger, garlic, chili paste, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and dry sherry gets poured over everything and tossed at the table.
Room temperature is critical for both the noodles and the sauce. Cold peanut sauce seizes up and loses its creamy, pourable consistency. Cold noodles clump together. Everything needs to be at room temp when they meet.
The chili paste controls the heat level. Start with a tablespoon and taste. You can always add more, but you can’t take it back once it’s in the sauce.
Kitchen Tips
- Toss the warm noodles with oil immediately after draining. This prevents them from welding into a solid block during chilling.
- Blanch the julienned carrots quickly (just a pour of boiling water through a sieve) to take the raw edge off while keeping their crunch.
- Do not refrigerate the peanut sauce. It stays at room temperature from the moment you blend it.
- Arrange the vegetables and ham in separate mounds around the noodles for a stunning presentation.
Variations
- Swap ham for shredded rotisserie chicken for a more substantial protein.
- Use rice noodles or soba noodles instead of fettuccine for a more authentic Asian feel.
- Add a tablespoon of black vinegar instead of red wine vinegar for a deeper, more complex tang.
Ingredients
Directions
*Note: The noodles and sauce must be at room temperature when tossed and served.
If cold, the sauce will lose its creamy consistency.
To make peanut sauce, combine ginger, garlic, 1 tablespoon green onion, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, chili paste, sugar, sesame and vegetable oils, sherry, dry mustard, salt and chicken stock.
Blend thoroughly.
Cover and set aside.
Do not refrigerate.
To make noodles, cook fettuccine until tender.
While noodles are still warm, toss with oil until well coated.
Chill. Place carrots in sieve and pour boiling water over them. Immediately pat dry with paper towels and chill. Wrap julienned green onions, ham, bean sprouts, cucumber and red pepper separately and chill until serving time. Bring noodles to room temperature before serving. At serving time, place noodles in center of large round bowl or platter. Arrange vegetables and ham attractively in separate mounds around edge. Blend peanut sauce again and pour over noodles, vegetables and ham. Toss.
Comments
