Make-ahead caramelised shallot pasta, brothy vinegar noodles with mushrooms and sesame, and a super-savoury lamb ragu
T
o say this caramelised shallot pasta changed my life might be a bit dramatic, but it also might be true – then again, so many people love a little skillet of caramelised shallots, a tin of anchovies and a whole lot of tomato puree as much as I do. But, first, for me one of life’s greatest pleasures is a bowl of perfectly cooked, slippery udon or soba in a shallow pool of something salty and vinegary, eaten alone on a brief but well-deserved lunch break. These noodles are a homage to the countless solo lunches I’ve had at a variety of wonderful Japanese restaurants.
Keep in mind that, while the brothy sauce (or saucy broth?) is designed to pool generously at the bottom of your bowl, this is certainly not a soup, and there shouldn’t be much of it left over to drink – only enough to generously dress your noodles. It’s intense in the best way, and hopefully there’s a bit left at the end to dip your lightly blanched greens into (only a suggestion, but a good one).
Prep 10 min
