Recipes Soba Noodle Salad with Pesto and Grilled Eggplant Be the first to rate & review! “Buckwheat and basil actually work really well together,” Bill Kim says about this unlikely match-up of Japanese and Mediterranean flavors. This chunky salad has a great mix of textures, too: velvety grilled eggplant, crunchy radishes and juicy cucumbers. Slideshow: Pasta Salads By Bill Kim Bill Kim Born in Seoul, South Korea, Bill Kim is an award-winning Chicago chef and restauranteur known for merging his Korean heritage with the food of his Midwestern upbringing. He was one of the first fine-dining chefs to embrace casual concepts with this signature style of cuisine. Bill is the author of the acclaimed cookbook Korean BBQ (2018).Experience: Born in Seoul and raised in Chicago, Bill Kim's early culinary career was fully immersed in the world of fine dining. He worked with revered chefs Pierre Pollin at Le Titi de Paris and Jean Banchet at Ciboulette. Bill took on the position of chef de cuisine at Charlie Trotter's before running the kitchen at the French-Asian Le Lan. When he opened his first restaurant urbanbelly in 2008, Bill finally had the opportunity to solidify his signature style by merging his Korean heritage with the food of his Midwestern upbringing, using his classical training in a casual setting. He has put his stamp on several more ventures, including Chef Bill Kim's Ramen Bar and Chef Bill Kim's Pizza and Parm Shop. Bill teamed up with Crate & Barrel to open the retailer's first in-store full-service restaurant, The Table at Crate, in 2019.Education: Bill Kim graduated from Kendall College in Chicago with a degree in Culinary Arts. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 21, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © John Kernick Total Time: 1 hrs Yield: 10 Ingredients 1 pound Asian eggplant, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing and tossing Kosher salt 1/2 cup pine nuts 2 cups basil leaves 4 medium garlic cloves, chopped 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 pound buckwheat soba noodles 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 6 large radishes, cut into thin wedges through the stem 1/2 English cucumber—halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise 1 cup mint leaves, torn if large Directions Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the eggplant with olive oil and season with salt. Grill over moderate heat, turning once, until tender and lightly charred, 6 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to a plate and let cool completely, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces. In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat, tossing, until golden, about 4 minutes; transfer to a plate and let cool. In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, basil and garlic and pulse until finely chopped. With the machine on, add the 1 cup of olive oil in a steady stream. Add the soy sauce and pulse to blend. Season the pesto with salt. In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the soba noodles until al dente, about 4 minutes. Rinse the noodles under cold water, then drain and pat dry. In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with the pesto until evenly coated. Add the grilled eggplant, tomatoes, radishes, cucumber and 3/4 cup of the mint leaves and toss well. Season the soba noodle salad with salt. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of mint leaves on top and serve. Rate it Print