Soba Noodles with Swiss Chard–Miso Pesto

Ingredients

• 4 servings pepper black freshly ground
• 1 medium carrots peeled cut into 1-1/2-inch matchsticks
• 4 medium garlic clove halved
• 4 servings kosher salt 
• 0.3 cup miso paste red
• 2.5 teaspoons rice vinegar 
• 1 sheet kombu dried thinly sliced cut into 9 pieces and (nori)
• 12 ounces soba noodles dried
• 12 ounces swiss chard ( 1 bunch)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• pot
• slotted spoon
• colander

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, trim the ends from the chard stems and discard.
2. Cut off the stems at the base of the leaves and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces.
3. Place in a small bowl and set aside. Stack the leaves and coarsely chop; set aside.
4. Add the chard leaves and garlic to the boiling water, stir to combine, and blanch until the leaves are just wilted and tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the leaves and garlic to a food processor fitted with a blade attachment (it’s OK if some of the blanching water gets into the food processor). Reserve the pot and water.
5. Add the miso paste and vinegar to the food processor and season with pepper. Process until a smooth paste forms, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes total. Leave the chard pesto in the food processor.Return the water in the pot to a boil over high heat.
6. Add the soba noodles, stir to separate them, and cook according to the package directions or until al dente.
7. Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. With the noodles still in the colander, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the oil and toss to coat; set aside.Dry the pot, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and heat over medium heat until shimmering.
8. Add the reserved chard stems and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
9. Remove the pot from the heat.
10. Add the reserved soba noodles and chard pesto to the pot and toss to combine and evenly coat everything with the pesto. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
11. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with the seaweed, if using.
12. Serve warm or at room temperature.