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). 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