Dan Dan Noodles

When I fall for a food, I fall hard. Lately, I can't stop thinking about the Dan Dan noodles I had at Seven Star Peppers. Now that I've done some research I know that saying Dan Dan noodles is almost like the Szechuan version of saying spaghetti sauce - it implies something very general. The dish that I love is the soupy, peanutty kind of Dan Dan so that's what I've tried to recreate here (with lots of help from a recipe I found in Food & Wine magazine and, of course, Johnny). If you haven't had good Dan Dan noodles you might not realize that you need to make this right now, immediately, tonight. I don't even have a picture to post because it was so good the night I made it that I was finished eating before I could think of getting the camera. I'll add a photo next time I make it (probably tomorrow because I could eat this every other day). Oh, I almost forgot one of the best parts - it takes maybe 15 minutes to make this.

Dan Dan Noodles
serves 4
printable version

Sauce:
1/4 c peanut oil (or other non-olive oil)
1/2 c toasted peanuts (use very plain toasted ones or toast them with the oil in a pan)
1 jalapeno, de-seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/4 inch of ginger, skinned and chopped
5 T soy sauce
2 T water
2 T Sri Racha (Asian hot sauce that is widely available and good to have in the cupboard)
1 T sugar
2 t sesame oil

1 pound ground pork or chicken
2 c chicken stock
1 c slivered carrots
3 baby Bok Choys, or about 2 cups shredded cabbage
Noodles to serves 4 - I used Udon that I found in my grocery store, but you could use other Asian noodles or even fettuccine

• Put all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Saute the pork in a pan large enough to have the noodles and sauce added later.
• When the pork is done, add the Bok Choy and saute for a couple of minutes, just until the Bok Choy is wilted. 
• Add the carrots and stock and heat through.
• Add the cooked noodles (if you're using Udon noodles, don't cook them on the side first, just add them to the sauce and simmer for about a minute). Done.
  

Slow-cooked Leek and Proscuitto Pasta

That Jamie Oliver, he sure has a way with leeks. My Leek and Chick Pea Soup (that is pretty much everyone's favorite on this blog) was adapted from his recipe and now I had another adaption of one of his - Slow-cooked Leek and Proscuitto Pasta. This is so crazy good I lick my plate when we have it. I suggest making a huge batch of the slow-cooked leeks and keeping them on hand (they'll keep in the fridge for a week or two and would probably freeze fine, but I never have them around long enough to test that) for pasta or for an even faster version of the soup. This is a very monochromatic dish so I've been holding off posting it in hopes of having a good picture. Oh well, it's too good to keep secret any longer.

Slow-cooked Leeks & Prosciutto Pasta
serves 4
printable version

4 leeks
3 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 c chicken stock
1 c dry white wine
4-6 slices of prosciutto
1 pound rigatoni, penne, or similar pasta
grated Parmesan

• Prep the leeks by cutting off the root end and the green top (I use the green up until it gets stiff, but leek purists don't use any green). Slice them lengthwise and then into thin half-moons. Leeks can have dirt in between their tight layers so I rinse mine well and then dry them in a salad spinner.
• In a wide, deep frying pan, melt the butter and heat the oil (the bit of oil keeps the butter from browning). Add the leeks and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes or until you are just starting to see browning.
• Add the wine and stock and then lay the slices of prosciutto over the top (see the photo above). You can substitute salami or ham, you'll just need enough to cover the leeks.
  
• Reduce to a simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Do a couple checks to make sure the leeks aren't sticking, but don't stir in the prosciutto. If it seems like the pan is drying out you can put a lid half on and/or add a little water.
• Prepare your pasta while the leeks are simmering.
  
• Remove the prosciutto and slice it into thin pieces. Stir this into the leeks.
• Toss the leeks with the cooked pasta, top with Parm. and you're done.
  

Cupboard Soup: Chicken, Green Chile, Tortilla Soup

A Cupboard Soup comes together on one of those days when I ask myself, "what do I have in the cupboard that could make a meal because I've already been to the grocery store 4 times this week?" This is one of my best successes so I thought it would be a good example of how to throw something together. I always keep onions, garlic, and my good old concentrated stock stock around. You also need something for flavor (herbs, tomatoes, salsa, chilies, sausage, leftover side dishes that won't turn into mush) and something for bulk (beans, lentils, split peas, potatoes, canned or fresh veggies). I also like a protein (if that isn't where my main flavor is coming in) and I usually have that in my freezer from some budget-breaking trip to Costco. Follow the method below and you can change the ingredients around a million ways. I didn't have anything for bulk except tortillas so this turned out a little thin (I'm really more of a stew person than a soup person), but so good. It could have used maybe corn or potatoes or black beans.

Chicken, Green Chili, Tortilla Soup
serves 6
printable version
instructables version


2 chicken breasts
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
8 c stock
1 7oz. can of green salsa
2 4oz. cans diced green chiles
8 corn tortillas, cut into strips
1/2 bunch cilantro (more if you want garnish)
juice of 2 limes
1.5 T cumin
1 T oregano
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
sour cream for garnish

• Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, then sprinkle one side with salt & pepper. Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a  soup pot (or saute pan if you're going to use a slow cooker) on medium-high heat. Place the salted side of the chicken down in the pan. Now sprinkle the other side with S&P. Brown both sides well, but don't worry about cooking them through. This searing step is optional, but it adds flavor.
  
• Remove the chicken (either set it aside or put it in the slow cooker). In the same pan, saute the onions until the edges are starting to brown , then throw in the garlic and saute until it starts to brown also. You  might have to add a little more oil.
• Toast the cumin by sprinkling it over the onions and garlic and stirring it for a few minutes.
  
• Pour a few cups of stock into the pan and scrape all the good browned bits off the bottom.
• Add everything except the sour cream and half of the tortillas to the soup pot or slow cooker. This soup is best if you put it on early and let it simmer for a couple of hours (I put it on high in the slow cooker while I'm at work all day).
  
• When you're almost ready to eat, take the chicken out of the pot and cut it into bite-sized pieces. I like to give it a quick blend with my hand-blender before adding the chicken back in, but that's optional.
• For a great garnish, spread the remaining 4 tortillas (cut into strips) on a cookie sheet. Drizzle the strips with oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Give them a quick toss to coat everything and pop these in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350, or until they're brown.
• Serve with the toasted tortilla strips and a generous dollop of sour cream.