Sesame Noodles (Lynne Rosetto Kasper) Excerpted from The Golden Pear Café Cookbook by Keith E. Davis. Makes 10 to 12 servings

This salad is both beautiful to look at and delightful to eat. It's colorful and intensely flavored, thanks to the combination of ginger and lime.  Note: Make this salad up to 1 day in advance and refrigerate it, covered. Store any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Sesame Noodle Salad:

    * 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    * 1 pound soba noodles
    * 2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
    * 1 medium carrot, cut into julienne strips (about 1 cup)
    * 1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into julienne strips (about 1 cup)
    * 1/2 cup bottled roasted red peppers, drained and cut into julienne strips
    * 3 scallions, trimmed and diced, plus 6 more, trimmed, for garnish
    * 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    * 6 lime wedges, for garnish

Lime Ginger Sesame Dressing

    * 3/4 cup light sesame oil
    * 1/4 cup rice vinegar
    * 1/2 cup soy sauce
    * 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (juice of 1/2 to 3/4 lime)
    * 1 large clove garlic, minced
    * 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
    * 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. To start the noodles: Fill a large saucepan halfway with water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the soba noodles and cook them for 10 minutes or until they are al dente. Drain them into a colander and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process. Pour them into a large stainless steel mixing bowl and set them aside.

2. Prepare the dressing: Whisk the sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and pepper in a small glass or stainless steel bowl until they are combined. Pour half of the dressing over the noodles. Toss the noodles gently with a rubber spatula until they are well coated and let them stand for 15 minutes.

3. Add the sugar snap peas, carrots, yellow bell peppers, roasted peppers, and scallions to the noodles. Add the remaining dressing and toss the mixture gently with a rubber spatula until all the vegetables are well coated.

4. Heat a small sauté or frying pan over high heat. Add the sesame seeds and toast them, tossing them frequently, until they are golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the toasted seeds to a small bowl to cool. Be careful not to let the seeds brown too much or burn, or they will be bitter and impart a burned flavor to the salad. If your sesame seeds burn, discard them and toast a new batch.

5. When you are ready to serve, transfer the salad to a serving bowl or platter and sprinkle it with the toasted sesame seeds. Garnish it with fresh scallions and lime wedges.