Kaisen Soba Peperoncino Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat scallops and prawns dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. If scallops have a side muscle, remove. Set aside on a plate chilled.

Prep vegetables & noodles

Trim arugula and baby bok choy, halve cherry tomatoes, thinly slice shiitake and red bell pepper, and slice jalapeño. Have garlic thinly sliced and chives chopped. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil for soba; add a pinch of salt.

Measure out soy sauce, mirin, fish stock, lemon juice, olive oil and butter so they are ready to add during cooking.

Cook soba according to package instructions until al dente (usually 4–6 minutes for fresh or 6–8 for dry). Reserve 120 ml (about 1/2 cup) of the noodle cooking water, then drain soba and rinse briefly under cold running water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Toss with 1 tsp olive oil to prevent sticking and set aside.

Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tbs olive oil and the butter. When butter foams and oil shimmers, add scallops spaced apart. Sear undisturbed 1–1.5 minutes per side until golden crust forms (scallops will be opaque and springy). Remove to a plate and tent loosely with foil.

Add another 1 tbs olive oil to the same skillet. Add prawns in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove with tongs to the scallop plate. If needed, quickly sear squid rings 30–45 seconds per side until just opaque and tender; remove and keep warm with other seafood.

Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tbs olive oil to the skillet. Add sliced garlic and jalapeño; cook stirring constantly 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add dried red pepper flakes and sliced shiitake and bell pepper; sauté 2–3 minutes until mushrooms soften and peppers begin to blister.

Add baby bok choy halves cut-side down and sauté 1–2 minutes until wilted. Pour in soy sauce, mirin and fish stock (or clam juice). Scrape any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer and reduce 1–2 minutes. Taste and season with remaining sea salt and black pepper as needed.

Add cherry tomatoes and cook 1 minute to warm and slightly soften; then stir in lemon juice.

Add cooked soba to the skillet with vegetables and toss to combine. If mixture seems dry, add up to 60–120 ml reserved noodle water a little at a time to loosen the sauce and coat the noodles.

Return seared scallops, prawns and squid to the pan and gently fold through the soba just to rewarm seafood without overcooking (30–45 seconds). Remove pan from heat and fold in arugula so it wilts slightly but stays bright.

Divide soba and seafood among 4 warm plates. Scatter halved cherry tomatoes (if you reserved some for garnish), chopped chives, and a few extra arugula leaves on top. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil, an extra grind of black pepper and a small squeeze of lemon if desired.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide additional red pepper flakes at the table for those who want more heat.