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You know, it’s so easy to get in a rut. Invite some friends over, get what you need, hustle to have everything ready, as people arrive when they may either slightly over or undercooking certain things because it’s impossible to perfectly time, bring out a big platter or two of what-not, “ta-da!” it, dig in, eat and drink too much and well, then what? Is that all there is? It’s not the company but the routine threatens makes it less wild the eighth time around.

And I confess that I was looking for yet another Spring pasta dish when I ran across this recipe that was anything but what I ever thought I’d make. But like those red shoes (I bought mine in February, mind you) or that soft-spoken guy that is so not your type (I married mine almost two years ago), sometimes what you never predicted is exactly what you need. Thus last night, I both cooked and ate pork tenderloin for the very first time, but most certainly not the last. (I actually supervised the tenderloin, after outsourcing it to my husband. Close enough, right?) It was so much fun. Picture an actual summer day and not this weather whiplash we’ve been inundated with in the Northeast and imagine how delicious it would be to end with a light, bright bowl of glassy noodle salad decked out with strips of mahogany-charred pork, keeping it on this side of Lite Delite Meal Inspirations. Pork tenderloin slathered with a lime, hoisin, soy, sake, ginger and garlic sauce? I love you.

Guess what else? I bought a mandoline yesterday! Frankly, I’ve wanted one forever but those things are notorious for their fingertip beveling abilities and (ahem) I’m not exactly renowned for reigning in my klutziness. Also, they’ve always seemed pricey, as even the OXO one I set out for yesterday morning ran nearly $70. Alas, I found a lovely little Japanese one for $27.99, and it works like a charm. You should have seen how fast it leveled what would have been an hour’s worth of knife-skills-deprived chopping into piles of colorful matchsticks. Behold the slivered perfection! Behold all my fingers still largely intact! I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Cellophane Noodle Salad With Roast Pork
Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez, Gourmet, June 2006

Updated notes, 1/10/14: I hadn’t made this in years, people, but did so tonight and have dozens of new notes to add about it. It’s such a wonderful recipe, but I think a few things deserve revisiting. Read to the end to find them (there are many and I didn’t want to clog the headnotes).

Makes 10 first-course servings, about 4 main.

For pork
1 pound solid piece boneless pork butt (shoulder) or pork tenderloin
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium is best here)
1/4 cup Chinese rice wine or sake
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt (see Note below)

Brush both sides of pork with some marinade and roast 10 minutes more. Generously brush both sides of pork with marinade again and roast, basting 2 or 3 times, 10 minutes more. I recommend brushing it as many times as it takes to use the marinade up; you won’t regret it.

Increase oven temperature to 400°F and roast pork until strips are mahogany-colored and caramelized on edges, 10 to 15 minutes more (pork shoulder will need the most time, tenderloin the least; totally cooking time will be about 50 minutes). Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes.

Make dressing while pork roasts: Blend together all dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth. (See Note below about an alternate dressing.)

Assemble salad: Cut as much pork as desired for salad across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Toss noodles with 1/4 cup dressing in a bowl. Toss long beans with 2 tablespoons dressing in another bowl. Arrange pork, noodles, beans, and remaining salad ingredients on a large platter. Drizzle with some of dressing and serve remaining dressing on the side.

Many notes (Updated 1/10/14):


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