When I was in my teens, I spent 6 weeks in Nagoya, Japan where my host family introduced me to udon and iced cold soba noodles in the most stern noodle houses. You walk into these traditional-looking tea houses, and not one person is talking. All you hear is slurping noises and "Ah!" as relief from the oppressively "atsui" or hot summer weather in Japan.

Winter soba in a homemade dashi broth.

Udon noodles served warm also offer comfort during mild and cold winters, which is what California experienced earlier this year. So I rolled up my sleeve and made a hearty soba soup that was slurp-worthy.

Winter Soba

Tried and tested by Food52 (Reprinted)

Yield: Four bowls of soba
Time: 30 minutes
Spice level: None

Ingredients
Dashi
1 ginger finger, 2 inches long and slivered into 4 pieces lengthwise
1 kombu, 4 x 6 inch piece wiped with a damp cloth
2 cups bonito flakes
5 cups cold water

Winter Soba
10 ounces Japanese buckwheat soba noodles
3.5 cups dashi
0.5 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons mirin
1 teaspoon sugar
0.5 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, julienned
2 leeks, 3 inch white only, cut into super thin, no wider than a soba noodle, strips
2 baby (watermelon) radishes, sliced into paper thin rounds
2 scallions, cut into thin rounds
4 eggs
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1.25 pound salmon, skin removed, and minced

Dashi Directions

1. Place the ginger, kombu and water in a large pot and put it over medium high heat. Once the water gets a few bubbles around the edges turn off the heat and set a timer for 10 minutes.
2. At the end of 10 minutes remove the kombu from the water and discard it. Turn the heat back on and once again when bubbles start to appear at the edges turn off the heat and add the bonito flakes. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
3. When the timer goes off strain the stock into a bowl, discard the bonito flakes, and clean out the pot.

Winter Soba Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook them according to their package instructions. Usually 3 to 5 minutes. Drain them and cool them under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Clean the pot and add 6 inches of water. Add the vinegar to the water. Place it over medium heat.
2. In a sauce pan add the dashi, soy, mirin, sugar, shiitakes and leeks. Place the pot over high heat and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium.

Sliced shiitake mushrooms and round leeks.

3. Bring the pot with vinegar water to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Crack each egg into a separate saucer and gently slip them into the water.
4. Divide the noodles between four bowls. Place 4 oz of chopped salmon into each bowl. Add some radish slices.

   Thinly sliced watermelon radishes.

5. Bring the broth to a boil and ladle some into each bowl. Add some leeks and shiitakes to each bowl. Add a poached egg and then top with green onions, toasted sesame, and furikake seasoning.

Winter soba topped with shiitake mushrooms, leeks, green onions, sesame seeds, furikake, soft boiled egg, salmon, and watermelon radishes.