Easy appetizers for New Year's Eve party

 Turn soba noodles into sushi rolls. Pair with your favorite cold dipping sauce.

Soba sushi rolls

 Makes: 32 pieces

Ingredients

 1 medium mango

 half an avocado

 1 peeled Kirby or pickling cucumber

 3 ounces smoked salmon

 9 ounces soba noodles

 4 sheets nori seaweed

 Slice 1 medium mango, half an avocado and 1 peeled Kirby or pickling cucumber into 1/2-by-3 1/2-inch sticks. Slice 3 ounces smoked salmon into 1-inch-wide strips.

 Divide 9 ounces soba noodles into 4 portions; bind one end of each together with a rubber band. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling water per package instructions. Drain; leave rubber bands on. Rinse noodles well under cold water; drain. Pat dry with a paper towel.

 Lay a bamboo sushi rolling mat on your work surface; ready 4 sheets nori seaweed. Position 1 nori sheet on the mat with one edge flush with the mat edge nearest you. Place 1 bundle cooked noodles at the nori’s near edge, with the tied end protruding from the right side. Cut off the tied end; discard. Spread the noodles to cover two-thirds of the nori sheet, leaving the top exposed.

 Place 2 avocado sticks, 3 each of the mango and cucumber sticks, and one-quarter of the salmon across the edge nearest you. Roll nori tightly around noodles. Make three more rolls; cut each into 8 pieces.

Hiroko Shimbo, author of "Hiroko’s American Kitchen."

 

Zesty black-eyed pea salsa

 Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients

 2 cups frozen black-eyed peas