Buffalo Shimp via Cambridge

Within 24 hours of the first snowfall, the temperatures crawled north of 32F, and the one inch blanket soon disappeared. But not without a lasting effect in the garden. I harvested what I could before it fell, but the celery, lettuces and kale remained in the ground with questionable odds of survival.

Last night I peeked at the celery. It was definitely floppy, and I didn’t expect it to recover. I harvested the remaining head, and salvaged what stalks I could.  The outer stalks were hollow, stringy and brown.  The inner stalks seemed okay.

With Maine Shrimp season just starting, I decided that Buffalo Shrimp would be the perfect foil for the celery remnants. The celery would balance nicely with the creamy shrimp, and the cool crunch would tame the heat of the spicy chili sauce.

Most recipes for buffalo shrimp call for Frank’s Hot Sauce.  I didn’t have that, and instead used  Lan Chi’s Chili Garlic Sauce with a splash of red wine vinegar. I prepared the classic bleu cheese dressing with mayonnaise, sour cream, a few crumbles of cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Since Maine Shrimp are so small, I worried that the typical deep frying would make them dry and rubbery by the time the outside crisped up. I opted, instead, to dust them in corn starch and fry them in hotter-than-usual (about 425F) oil. This worked pretty well. Probably next time, though, I would use larger shrimp and a more traditional coating.

Buffalo Shrimp with Celery and Bleu Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
 2 tbs. butter
2 tsp. Lan Chi Chili Paste with Garlic
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined. 
1 cup corn starch

2 cups (or more) plain oil for deep fying
celery stalks

1.  In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream and blue cheese.  Season with lemon juice.  Set aside.
2.  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with chili paste and vinegar.  Set aside.
3.  Heat a pot with oil over high heat.  Toss shrimp in corn starch and spank of any excess.  Gently drop the shrimp in the oil ( you may need to cook in several batches to avoid overcooking).  When shrimp are crispy, remove from oil with a slotted spoon.
4.  Toss shrimp into chili sauce.  Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing.

Fireplace Cooking

A few snowy winters ago, I invited friends over for dinner and a fire. When the guests arrived, I wanted to cozy up with them in front of the fireplace with a glass of wine. Not wanting to leave the meal simmering on the stovetop unattended, I brought the food with me into the living room. I rearranged the fire and balanced the pots on the logs and irons. The potatoes boiled atop a small flame while the venison gently simmered in the corner. When the potatoes were cooked, I mashed them with scallions and a little bit of butter. They took on a smoky quality which married beautifully with the earthy venison stew.

This weekend, some friends rented a house in Vermont. It was requested that I make “tandoori” lamb for Saturday’s dinner. I knew it wouldn’t be as good as past versions when I’ve roasted the meat over a wood-charcoal grill. It wouldn’t get the intense heat of the grill to caramelize the meat nor the nuanced flavor only achieved by wood smoke. I doubted the rental house would have a grill (and given the weather, didn’t know that I would be able to cook outside anyway) and I didn’t want to make the mess of searing the meat on the stovetop either. But when I saw the wood fireplace in the dining room, I knew we were in business!

Cooking in the hearth requires a vigilant eye while the food is cooking. The temperature fluctuates depending on the strength of the fire. And as the logs burn and the fire moves around, the cooking pots will need to be rebalanced. Occasionally rearranging of the logs and the pots ensures even cooking. I use pots that I don’t mind getting dirty, as it’s tough to clean off the smoky residue. Better yet, you can use disposable recycle-able aluminum pans.

…and if you wonder why I prefer wood burning fireplaces over gas, this is it! Hopefully, someday I will again live in a house with a fireplace.

The Legend of the Macomber Turnip (Recipe: Macomber Turnip Soup with Lobster)

Macomber-turnip-soup2

Macomber Turnips are prized for their creamy texture and subtlety balanced sweet-tart flavor. Intuitively, I know they appear on restaurant menus all over New England in the fall. Just for kicks, I Googled, “Macomber Turnip Soup Menu” to see approximately how many restaurants in Boston feature them. Eight out of the ten results on the first page led to a different local restaurant’s menu.

Macomber turnips from the globe

(photo credit: Wendy Maeda, The Boston Globe)

They look like the purple top turnips in shape, size and color gradations. But instead of white with purple shoulders, they are flesh toned with more muted purple shoulders.

According to Cukie Macomber, as written in the New Bedford Standard Times, "It (ed:the macomber turnip)began when two brothers, Adin and Elihu, sixth-generation farmers from the Westport portion of old Dartmouth, began experimenting with seeds. They returned from a fair in Philadelphia in 1876 with seeds for experimentation, planting radishes next to rutabagas (17th century crossbreed of a cabbage and a turnip) to allow cross pollination. The Westport Macomber Turnip was born. Their new turnip inherited the white flesh of the radish parent and turnip grandparent, but an unusual sweetness and horseradish aroma, raw and cooked."

Every year, I see them at Russo’s and think I will buy a few and experiment. Nothing happened until this year. And how glad I am to have discovered them.

As a simple side dish, I roasted them with apples, ginger and garlic.

Macomber-and-apples

This dish transformed easily into a soup. With the addition of a little wine and chicken stock I pureed them. I added a little cream to give the soup a little richness. I started to add lemon juice as its part of my usual seasoning routine. But when I tasted the soup it was wonderfully bright without any more seasoning.

This soup can be easily dolled up with a little lobster and/or truffles on top.

Roasted Turnip Base
1 tbs. butter
1 macomber turnip
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 gala apple

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Peel turnip and cut into ¾ inch cubes.
3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, just to soften.
4. Toss the butter with the turnips. Season with salt and pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven.
5. Roast t the turnips for 20 minutes.
6. While they’re roasting, core the apple and cut it into a ½ inch dice. Do not peel it.
7. After 20 minutes, add the apple to the turnips. Toss them together to make sure the apples get a little butter coating. Roast for 5 minutes more.
8. Serve as a side dish to braised short ribs or salmon.

Macomber-turnip-soup_`



Macomber Turnip Soup with Lobster
Turnip Base
1 quart chicken stock/broth
¼ cup heavy cream
1 small leek, white and light green parts, cut and washed.

½ pound lobster meat
1 tsp. fresh tarragon
1 scallion, cut into rings
1 tbs. butter
Lemon

1. In a large soup pot, combine turnip base, chicken stock and leek. Simmer for 20 minutes. Puree in a blender (in two parts if necessary) until smooth. Add cream. Return to pot, and set aside in a warm place.
2. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the lobster and warm it through. Just before serving add tarragon, scallions and a squeeze of lemon.
3. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with lobsters and extra scallion rounds.

Braised Leeks with Mustard Vinaigrette

Just in the nick of time, I harvested the lettuces and leeks. Hours later, the first real snow of the season fell. Though it didn’t amount to more than an inch, it was enough to bury the leeks and lettuces.

Branching out of my usual side dish of leeks softened in butter, I decided to braise them in chicken stock and white wine. I continued in the French theme by dressing them with a mustard vinaigrette. And of course, bowing to the bacon gods, I sprinkled a few bacon bits on top.

A simple, yet elegant first course.

Because leeks trap lots of dirt inside its layers, it's important to cut them open to wash.  In order to maintain the integrity of the shape, though, leave the root attached to that it will hold together the layers.

Braised Leeks
1 tbs. butter
4 leeks, cut in half and washed.
1 sprig thyme
1/4 cup white whine
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 slices bacon, diced
1 cup arugula
mustard vinaigrette
salt and black pepper

1.  Melt butter in a skillet, add the leeks in a single layer, cut side down.  Brown a little before adding a sprig of thyme and the wine. Let the wine reduce and then add the stock, salt and pepper to taste.
2.  Put leeks in a 350F oven for 20 minute to braise, or until softened.  Set aside.
3.  Put the diced bacon in a pan in the oven to render the fat and get crispy. Drain the bacon on a paper towel.
4. To serve, dress the arugula in mustard vinaigrette and put on plate.  Lay the leeks on the plate and sprinkle bacon bits on top.

Mustard Vinaigrette
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
 salt and pepper to taste

Whisk everything together.

A Chinese Christmas (Recipe: Five Spice Beef)

Five-spice-4
It’s really no surprise that Jews and Chinese food are synonymous. When typically thriving urban centers shut down for Christmas, us non-Christian folk have little to do… volunteering is out as most non-profits are already inundated with caring Christians. TV programming focuses on Christmas specials and football. And every store or restaurant is either closed or Christmas-centric.

The only open restaurants not featuring a Christmas special are the Chinese. So the Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas.

By now its tradition – I host (or go to) two holiday parties a year – a latke party and a “Chinese” Christmas party.

This year, I decided to blend the two cultures and will prepare Chinese brisket. Brisket is actually the cut of meat just below the breast.

BeefCutBrisket.svg

The muscle, not surprising given its location, is quite active. Active muscle = flavorful meat, and also very tough meat. The only way to cook brisket is to slowly simmer it covered in liquid. This breaks down the meat into meltingly tender deliciousness. The Jews usurped the name to refer to the braised meat dish prepared with this cut.

For Chinese inspired brisket, I turn to my favorite Chinese authority Eileen Yin Fei Lo for Five-Spice Beef.

She suggests serving the dish cold. I serve it hot as part of a larger banquet/buffet.

My favorite four-year old proclaimed that my house “stinked” upon walking in and smelling the brisket in the oven. He changed his opinion quickly.
Phil-and-Brisket
Five Spice Beef Brisket
Adapted from The Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo

4 cup water
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup shao-hsing wine
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 slices ginger, smashed
3 star anise
½ tsp. Sichuan peppercorns
½ tsp. salt
1 cinnamon stick (I used a piece of Vietnamese)
½ tsp. five-spice powder
¼ cup mushroom soy sauce
¼ cup regular soy sauce
¼ cup rice or black vinegar
2 lb. beef brisket

1. Combine ingredients (except beef) in a large pyrex dish. Stir to dissolve sugar.
Five-spice-1

2. Add beef. Cover dish with foil. Put in a 325 oven.
3. Every hour or so, turn meat over.
4. Cook for 4 hours or until meat is tender.
Five-spice-2

5. Slice meat thin. Drizzle braising liquid on top. Garnish with scallions if you like.

Five-spice-3

Breaking Out Summer (Recipe: Eggplant Portobello Torta)

When winter seems interminable, usually around the beginning of February, I break into my stash of jarred tomatoes. The red jewels of the summer garden were canned at their peak of flavor. And when I need a dose of sunshine, the bright, sweet acidity exudes summer warmth.

In typical years, I can about 2 dozen jars. After I give a few out as gifts, I ration myself – one or two jars a month. I try to hold off as long as I can before I start digging in so that during the coldest days, I know I’ll have an antidote to dreary New England winters.

This year, I had a canning-palooza, with a record 72 jars! I’ve become a little reckless. Yes, I know, winter doesn’t officially start until December 21st. But last night, I opened the first two jars.

I pureed a can of smoked tomatoes with a can of tomato sauce for a simple, yet flavorful sauce to grilled leg of lamb. A “Portobello” napoleon rounded out the plate.



Roast Leg of Lamb with Eggplant Portobello Torta and Smoked Tomato Coulis
Serves 4
4 portobellos, caps only
1 shallot, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
1 eggplant
1/4 cup flour
1 egg mixed with ¼ cup water
1 cup bread crumbs
1 can smoked tomatoes
Canola/olive oil mix for cooking

Marinade
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ bunch fresh sage, chopped
½ bunch fresh thyme, chopped
½ bunch scallions, green and white parts, chopped.
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Make the marinade: Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add herbs and spices, and cook about 2 minutes more, until they are fragrant. Let marinade cool. Add lamb, and marinate overnight.
2. Put mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet, fins up.
3. Sprinkle with garlic, shallots, vinegar, oil, and thyme.
4. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Roast in 400F oven for 15 minutes, or until tender.

6. Cut the eggplant on a bias into at least 4 slices. Season eggplant with a generous sprinkling of salt. Let sit for 20 minutes. Rub off excess salt off and pat dry.
7. Bread the eggplant: use three dishes, one for flour, one for the egg, and one for the bread crumbs. Coat with flour, then dip in the egg mixture and finally coat with bread crumbs.
8. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to coat the bottom of the pan, by ¼ inch. Fry eggplant for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy. Let the eggplant drain on a paper towel.
9. Puree tomatoes. Warm in a sauce pan over medium heat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as desired.
10. Preheat oven to 425F.
11. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Sear lamb on all sides until brown
12. Roast lamb for 15 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness.
13. Make a “sandwich” with the eggplant, cheese and Roasted Portobellos.
14. Bake at 400F until the cheese is melted.
15. Meanwhile, slice lamb.
16. Garnish with sandwich, tomato coulis and broccoli.

The Quest for Crispy (Recipe: Cheese Straws)

When my parents took their annual anniversary trip to the Caribbean, they would ship me and my sister off to our grandmother’s house in Alabama. Once there, Grandma Charlotte would trot us around town to visit her friends or to the country club to play bingo and eat fried chicken.

Wherever we went, the snacks abound. Cheese straws were the favorite: buttery, crispy and a little bit spicy. They satisfied snacks cravings on many levels. Even though my grandmother was an excellent cook, she never made them: a local woman baked them by the hundreds and sold them in round cookie tins packed in bubble wrap to the Junior League women.

A constant supply of this addictive treat may seem like a good thing: it was not. Since my grandmother never learned to make them, she didn’t have a great recipe to pass on. And since she always had the best, the cheese straw bar was set very high.

With the entertaining season upon us, a stream of guests will make their way through my living room and dining room. To simplify, I want to have snacks at the ready. I decided to tackle the elusive cheese straws.

Uncle Ken is the only one of the four kids who regularly makes cheese straws, and even he admits his recipe is not as good as the ones Charlotte served. As he says, “Same thing every year. I make them. They look nothing like I remember them. They end up more like 'cheese cookies' than cheese straws. Not nearly as crunchy or pretty as I remember them. Yet, my kids eat them, love them, and want more. I remain puzzled, and they are happy. I think what I use now is a variation from Cousin Henry.”

He sent me several old family recipes, including Uncle Henry’s and one from Aunt Emma Lee. The ingredient list is simple and consistent across recipes: butter, flour, cheese, baking powder, salt and cayenne. The variations are in the ratio of butter, flour and cheese; and the baking temperatures.

If crispy is the goal then I decided that more butter and cheese is better, as is a lower cooking temperature.


What follows is the recipe I used.  Do you have a great recipe for cheese straws?

¼ pound butter
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1/2 pound grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 ¼ cup flour
1 tsp. sriracha chili paste
¼ cup water

1. Cream butter with a paddle attachment in a kitchen aid mixer. Add baking powder, salt and cheese.
2. When combined, add flour and sriracha and just enough water to bind the mixture. Do not over-mix.
3. Roll out dough to ¼ inch thick, and cut into strips, 1 inch by 4 inches.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
5. If you can, let cool before eating and definitely before storing.

Always the Bridesmaid (Recipe: Squash Gnocchi)

About 2 months into culinary school, my ego was convinced I should be a better cook. I began experimenting with recipes that I previously would never have dreamed about trying…. For Passover I decide to make a whole salmon stuffed with a trio of mousses: spinach, red pepper and potato. I imagined a most impressive presentation with spirals of tricolored mousses contrasting the orange salmon. I shed a few tears as my brother-in-law tried to encourage me through the process.

A few months later at my uncle’s house, I attempted squash gnocchi. They weren’t much better. Thankfully, the audience was equally supportive as I tried to fumble my way through dinner.

Though, I’ve mastered many complicated dishes since graduating from culinary school, I still harbor a little trepidation about squash gnocchi. These winter vegetables straddle into the “starch” classification, but don’t have the binding qualities that Idaho potatoes have, making them more challenging than regular potato for gnocchi and other dumplings. And like the spinach and bell peppers of the mousse fiasco, they have a high water content which requires extra flour as a binder, and can cause leaden dumplings.

A few weeks ago, I decided to tackle the squash gnocchi again. I figured that 20 years was enough time to get over the old wounds and develop a repertoire of skills to get me through.

My first attempt was a mediocre at best… based on my research, I thought I’d be able to roll out the gnocchi by hand as I do with regular potato. The dough was so wet that I kept adding flour and more flour… to the point that I knew I’d have dense dumplings (and based on the comments from my matzah ball post, I know that a loud minority actually prefer this).

Attempt #2: I got the brilliant idea to pipe the dough into the boiling water. This allowed for a wetter, lighter dough, and worked much better. I served these with roast duck, but the duck skin cracklings stole the show.

Since I wanted to blog about these, I recreated this recipe for Thanksgiving. And as delicious as they were, they were upstaged a second time. This time, I tossed them with Brussels sprouts from the garden which were roasted with bacon.

The dumplings are great, but are easily upstaged.

Squash Gnocchi
1 butternut squash
1 acorn squash
1 ½ cup flour
2 eggs
½ tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder (optional)
1 cup chicken broth or 2 tbs. butter
1. Cut squash in half. Put on a baking sheet, cut side down. Add water to the pan, and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until squash are tender. It may be necessary to add more water to the pan if it all evaporates.
2. Let squash cool. Scoop out seeds and discard.
3. Scoop out pulp into a food processor and blend until smooth. Measure out one cup of puree (set aside the remainder for soup or another favorite recipe). Add flour, eggs, curry powder, salt and baking powder. Blend in food processor minimally, just until smooth.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt.
5. Fill a piping bag with a large plain tip. Fill with gnocchi filling. Gently pipe out ¾” logs, and then cut off into the water with a butter knife. Boil for 2 minutes. Scoop out with a slotted spoon into a dish with either the butter or chicken broth (this will keep the dumplings from sticking together before serving.
6. It may be necessary to cook the dumplings in batches.
Serve with Brussels sprouts, duck or turkey.

Imperfect Inspiration (Recipe: Spice Rubbed Pork with Pineapple Salsa)

Joan Gussow, author of This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader, hasn’t bought a vegetable in 15 years. Everything she cooks at home has been grown in her backyard in Suburban New York. I listened to her speak about the importance of land sustainability and the health of our planet at the Slow Money Conference this past September. She acknowledges that people have fewer choices when eating purely local. But the rewards are insurmountable.

The audience was rapt, and all I could think about were lemons. Whether I could grow enough vegetables in my garden to sustain me year-round is questionable at best. But what I would really miss the most are lemons and limes… and for sure, I would not be able to grow them here in zone 6 without a greenhouse (as a reference, most of California and Florida are zone 9 or 10). They make so many of my recipes pop with flavor. They give a dish that je nais se quoi, a brightness that can’t be achieved through salt, sugar or butter.

Now that things in my garden are quieting down, I’m buying more and more from the supermarket. And farther away from Joan’s idyllic word.

This dish couldn’t be farther away from local… the ingredients, the flavor profile. The only thing sustainable in this dish were the scallions and jalapenos from my garden. Hey, we can’t be perfect all of the time.

From the garden: scallions and chilies.

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Coconut Sauce and Pineapple Sauce
adapted from Jean Georges Vongerichten 

1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper
2 pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons water
1 stalk lemongrass, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 Thai green chile, minced
1 lime juiced
Salt

1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/4 red bell pepper, diced
2 scallions, cut into rounds
2 tablespoons thinly sliced cilantro

1. In a small bowl, mix 2 teaspoons of the sugar with the coriander, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Season the pork with salt and rub the spices over it.  Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, mix the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar with the water and bring to a boil. Add the garlic and lemon grass.  Simmer until an amber caramel forms, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, pour in the coconut milk and stir until the caramel dissolves. Add the fish sauce and chile, then let stand for 5 minutes. Strain the sauce and season with salt.

3. In a medium bowl, toss the pineapple, red pepper, scallions and lime juice with a pinch each of salt and cayenne.

4. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add a tablespoon of plain oil.  Brown the pork on all sides, and finish cooking in a 400 degree oven for about 12 minutes or cooked to your desired doneness.

Serve Pork Medallions with Sauce and Pineapple Salsa.  Jasmine Rice is a wonderful accompaniment.

One for the Road (Recipe: Chap Jae)

The (holiday) travel season is upon us.

Boarding Passes? Printed.

Luggage? Packed.

Food?

Most airports highway rest-stops are food-challenged. Though driving offers more flexibility, the last thing I want to do is divert my route for decent food when I still have 5 hours to go. Whenever I travel, I pack a picnic.

Menu planning takes into account the obvious that I want to satiate my hunger and eat healthy. It needs to travel well and pack light.   But perhaps most important, the meal must stave off any cravings I might have for crappy food along the way — I’ll admit I’m enticed by the aroma of Cinna-bons in the airport or fried chicken at highway rest-stops.

My picnic basket usually includes snacky foods like carrot sticks and whole wheat crackers. To satisfy my (limited) sweet tooth, I buy a bag of Stacy’s Cinnamon Pita chips. They aren’t the healthiest, but certainly better than the other sweet options.

For my main meal, I usually pack something that requires a fork (but no knife), so I feel like I’m really eating a meal.

Chap Jae, a Korean noodle dish, is a wonderful complete meal – with vegetables, starch and protein. It has plenty of umami from the dried mushrooms and soy sauce, which makes it extra satisfying. Like many Asian stir-fries, it’s also a great way to use up bits of left-over vegetables in the pantry. In my case, I gleaned a few leaves of kales, celery and scallions from the garden.

What's your go-to road-food?

Chap Jae
½ pound sweet potato noodles (found in Asian Markets) or vermicelli
½ pound boneless chicken or beef, cut into thin strips
5 dried mushrooms, rehydrated in warm water
3 scallions
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce + extra for seasoning
1 tablespoon sesame oil + extra for cooking
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
Extra soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar for seasoning.

Julienne of Vegetables, which can include any or all of the following:
Carrots
Red Peppers
Kale
Celery
Bamboo Shoots
Broccoli
Green Beans

1. In a bowl, combine the thin strips of meat and mushrooms with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and scallions. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If using sweet potato noodles, cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. If using wheat vermicelli, cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add sesame oil and onions. Cook onions until soft. Add chicken and mushrooms and continue cooking until meat is cooked through. Add vegetables. When vegetables are tender, remove from heat.
4. To the same pan, add another bit of sesame oil. Stir fry noodles over high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetables and meat.
5. Adjust seasoning with extra soy sauce, sesame oil and/or sugar.