Is it time for a recipe yet? →[More:]
I know some here don't much make it over to MeFi, and especially not way down to the bottom of a GRAR-filled fighty callout MeTa thread, so I figured I'd share in the awesomeness here.

This, to me, is what makes the whole MetaFilter experience so inexplicably wonderful. On the one hand you can have these persnickety, contentious threads, but then someone comes in and suddenly it's transformed into pure awesome.

For those who are skeered to touch that link (it is, after all, a fighty, GRAR-filled MeTa longthread, so I wouldn't blame you) -- courtesy of MeFi user "Nothing... and like it" (heh, sorta eponysterical that is), is a soba noodle recipe that is nothing short of miraculous. Seriously, I think this particular person has just hit upon the cure for the common cold.

not to mention I wholeheartedly concur with the whole minced-garlic-is-a-bit-precious thing. You can pry my wonderful garlic press from my cold, dead hands, thankyouverymuch, and especially when I'm feeling too shitty to be arsed practising my knife skills

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Is it time for a recipe yet?

HOW ABOUT SOME SUPER QUICK AWESOME GARLIC SPINACH SOBA NOODLES

You will need to get yourself:

- some soba noodles
- some olive oil
- some garlic
- some baby spinach
- some salt
- some red pepper flakes
- a wedge or block of decent Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- an lemon

You will then do as follows:

- Put a big pot of water on to boil.
- Mince as many cloves of garlic as suits your attitude toward garlic. I usually start at four and go up depending on mood and how many people I'm feeding, but tastes differ. By the way, feel free to use a garlic press to save time. I know people say there's a difference between using a press and a knife, but if your press is any good there really isn't. They're just being precious about it.
- Pour a few glugs of olive oil into a large skillet or sautee pan and heat on low.
- Add garlic, some salt, and some crushed red pepper flakes, and heat slowly. Basically what you're doing is making the olive oil taste super awesome, and slowly cooking the garlic. Don't let the garlic burn, though, or you'll totally fuck this part up.
- When the water boils, throw in the soba noodles and cook as directed on the package-- probably 4 minutes or so.
- While noodles are cooking, add baby spinach to garlic and olive oil, and squeeze about half a lemon over it.
- Stir spinach 'til it wilts, then cover & remove from heat.
- When soba noodles are done, drain and toss into the pan with the spinach. Toss with a bunch of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
- Put it on plates or in bowls, then top with little squeeze of lemon and some more grated cheese.
- Eat that shit up because it will be fucking delicious.

Serves 1 - 4 depending on how much you make and hungry you are
Total time: Like 15 minutes, tops
posted by Nothing... and like it at 9:10 PM on May 13 [28 favorites -] [!]

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Enjoy!!