2004 Hansel North Slope Vineyard RRV Pinot Noir

[Innkeeper]

Dan, here is a recipe from our Veggie days that we still use regularly and have posted on many times:

SWEET & SOUR EGGPLANT SOBA:

1 ½ T Sesame seeds
1 lb Eggplant
1 Red Pepper
1 Small onion chopped
1 tsp Chinese (roasted) sesame oil
1 tsp Minced garlic
Pinch dried red pepper flakes
1 C Tomato sauce
¼ tsp Ground ginger
½ tsp Granulated garlic
1 ½ T Soy Sauce
1 ½ T Apple cider vinegar
1 ½ T Honey
½ T Arrowroot
¼ C Chopped cilantro
½ lb Wild yam soba

Roast eggplant and pepper*. Toast sesame seeds in heavy saucepan, and set aside. Nuke onion with oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Peel, seed, and chop eggplant and pepper. Combine tomato sauce, ginger, granulated garlic, and soy sauce in a saucepan. Add eggplant, pepper, and onion mixture. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Place soba in boiling water, simmer eight minutes, drain, and rinse with hot water. Combine vinegar, honey, and arrowroot in a bowl. Add to sauce off heat. Stir till thick. Drain soba, and place on a warm platter. Nap with sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve hot.

*To roast vegetables: Before leaving for work: Wash and dry them. Cut stem off eggplant, cut in half lengthwise, and put in ungreased roaster face down along with whole pepper. Roast uncovered at 375 degrees for 34 minutes, turning pepper over once halfway. Remove from oven, cover, and cool. Can be done in morning, and let sit all day till you are ready to prepare dinner.

We have matched it with a wide variety of reds including Chianti Classico, medium octane Zinfandel, and a handful of Spainish reds.