Tofu, Noodles, Arugula, Leeks in Duck Broth

Before it gets a little too rhubarb-y in here, I figured I'd prove that I eat a little bit more than just fruits and jellies. It's been raining hard, and I thought today deserved some soup. Last week was my birthday, so there was a lot of unrestrained eating and drinking of rich things. One of which was a duck. I pulled the breasts for the freezer, and roasted the rest of it to braise in the rendered fat. Oh, was that leg meat good on some rice, alongside the aromatic vegetables that were cooked in the fat as well. (Does that render the vegetable a vegetable any more?)

The carcass was then turned into a flavorful stock, as it had been coated heavily with 5-spice powder when roasted. The stock, nestled in the back of the fridge for such an occasion, was the base for tonight's meal. Just simmered with leeks, garlic and ginger, then lo mein noodles tossed in to cook, heat off and handfuls of fresh from the garden arugula to wilt. I fried up some tofu in soy and honey to sit on top. So satisfying, particularly after getting soaked while you are up on a ladder removing gunk from the clogged gutters.

Tomorrow, we return to the rhubarb channel. All rhubarb, all the time.

Oven-Roasted Cod, Portobello Mushrooms and Buckwheat Noodles

This was Christmas in a nutshell: a wonderful holiday spent with family, visiting with people who sorely needed a visit, some driving in cold, nasty weather, and way too much random and purposeless eating. Which is the point, right? However, the excesses of the holidays are now behind us. I always sigh in relief after the holidays are over. I have usually had enough. And essentially, they are over, because New Year's isn't really the exciting night it once used to be. Steve and I simultaneously (and probably half the country) realized that the time was now upon us to return to healthful (ish) eating. Last night we had this really delicious meal which felt healthy and hearty; a great combination in my book.

Put fish on a large cookie sheet lined with foil. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Olive oil, salt and pepper on the fish. I used northern atlantic cod, though I'm sure many filets would do. Check with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. (I really like their Super Green List.)

Top with a dressing of

3 or 4 cloves grated garlic,

1 large knob of ginger,

1/4 cup light olive oil,

splash of tamari or soy sauce, and

1 T lemon-lime glaze (or use some lime juice, lemon juice, a teaspoon of brown sugar--a mix of citrus and sweetner)

Mix this up and use most of it on the fish. Put the fish in the oven for about twenty minutes.

On the lower rack put a tray of sliced portobello mushrooms, drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper. These two trays will take the same amount of time. Halfway through you could flip or toss the mushrooms around while checking on the fish.

Meanwhile, cook buckwheat noodles, reserving two cups of the cooking water after draining. Put the reserved liquid back on the heat to simmer, add two heaping tablespoons of mild miso and dissolve. Return the noodles to heat up.

To serve: ladle broth into bowl, add noodles, fish on top, portobellos on the side. The mushrooms get slightly crispy in the oven, seasoned perfectly, they are meaty and dense. The fish is light and the sauce is a perfect blend of garlic, ginger and sweet citrus. Add to that the hearty noodles and savory broth, you've got a perfect bowl of repentance.