Crispy and Spicy Pork Noodles with Mushrooms, Butter and Soy

By the time this lands in your inboxes, I will hopefully have landed in Lisbon. I'm currently on the train down to the city, leaving behind a snowy and wet Hudson. Farewell, friend! See you when the flowers have started to arrive. 

Before I departed, I wanted to make sure that I shared this very wonderful weeknight noodle dish that I hope you will enjoy as much as I did. I spoke about Cabi soy sauce earlier this week and if you can find it, I recommend grabbing it. It's got a special kind of umami that will take this dish from great to grand. That said, please make it with whatever soy sauce you have within arm’s reach.

I hope you have a wonderful couple of weeks and I'll see you soon with lots of stories to share I'm sure. 

Crispy and Spicy Pork Noodles with Mushrooms, Butter and Soy 

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 3 to 4 

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces fresh or vacuum sealed udon noodles or other noodle of your choosing 

1 pound ground pork 

12 ounces mixed mushrooms, such as shitake and cremini, thinly sliced 

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

3 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced and separated 

2 Thai bird's eye chillies, or other fresh chili such as Fresno, thinly sliced or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

3 celery stalks cut thinly on the bias, some leaves reserved for garnish 

¼ cup soy sauce such as Cabi 

2 tablespoons butter 

METHOD

Cook your noodles according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water, and rinse under cold water to keep them from sticking together. 

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the pork in one layer, pressing it down with the back of a spatula and wooden spoon until it becomes crispy, about 4 minutes, flip and cook for minutes more, breaking up the meat until it is no longer pink, about 7 to 8 minutes total.  Season with salt and remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate. 

Turn heat to medium and add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to start turning golden, add the garlic, scallions, celery and chilies, adding a bit more oil if needed, depending how lean your pork was. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic and the scallions begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. 

Add the pork and the noodles to the pan along with the butter and toss to coat. Stir until everything is well combined, adding in a tablespoon or so of the reserved water if needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the soy sauce until everything is well combined. 

Plate in bowls and top with some of the celery leaves and the green parts of the scallions. Top with your favorite chili crisp.