⅓ cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup toasted sesame oil + 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 to 2 teaspoons hot chili pepper oil
6 ounces uncooked Japanese soba noodles
2 scallions, thinly sliced, including most of the green parts + thinly sliced scallions to garnish
1 small red bell pepper, seeds and membranes removed, and thinly sliced
1 cup steamed broccoli
4 (1-inch thick) swordfish steaks, about 6 ounces each, blotted dry
Coarse ground black pepper
Coarse sea salt
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted
In a small bowl, blend the hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic together. Whisk in sesame and canola oils, add 1 teaspoon of the hot chili pepper oil, and set aside. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Meanwhile, cook the soba noodles as directed on the package; drain well and combine them in a large bowl with the scallions, bell pepper, and broccoli. Drizzle with the 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and toss.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat 3½ to 4 minutes. Press the cracked pepper into both sides of the swordfish, lay the steaks in the pan, season with salt, and cook for 3 minutes without moving them. Turn the steaks, season the other side with salt, and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook 2 to 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove and let stand while finishing the noodles.
Toss the noodles with 6 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and divide them among four dinner plates. Cut the swordfish into ½-inch slices, and lay over the noodles. Drizzle on some of the remaining vinaigrette, garnish with the sesame seeds and a few scallions, and serve.