Quick Noodle Bowl

Serves 4

There is nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of noodles, especially when it’s full of umami richness and has a spicy kick. Here, soba noodles are joined with loads of leeks, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and snow peas and left over steak to create a quick but hearty meal.

As I mentioned, I used left over meat for this dish, but feel free to cook it up fresh. Beef, chicken and pork all work here as well as fried tofu. Be creative and most of all, keep it simple. Enjoy! – Chris

Pair with...

What to Pair with? As with most dishes of this type (spicy noodles), I like full bodied, high acid whites. I like two wines in particular from Italy. Hailing from the island of Sardinia, Vermentino has a lush body, paired with citrus notes and a pleasant bitter finish that expresses some salinity. From the southern region of Campania, the Falanghina grape has an floral, citrus nose and tastes of peach and tropical fruits with minerality. Like Vermentino, the wine has some salinity in the finish, complimenting savory flavors.

Ingredients

2 large leeks, white parts only sliced into half-rounds
2 large handfuls of snow peas
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb meat, cooked and sliced thin
1/4 cup soy sauce
Lime juice
1 lb soba noodles

Preparation

If you are cooking meat, do this first. Set is aside to rest for 15 min, then slice.
Prepare pot for noodles and begin cooking as directed.
Heat a pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon oil.
Cook the leeks for 5 min, add the peas, mushrooms and ginger. Cook another 5-10 min.
Add garlic and cook for 3 min.
Remove all of the vegetables from the pan and set aside.
In the same pan, pour in soy sauce and let it simmer.
Add the meat to reheat as the soy sauce reduces and begins to thicken.
Add vegetables back to pan and toss in soy sauce.
Squeeze in the juice of one lime.
Serve over noodles with additional soy sauce on the side.

Chris Chisholm is a Certified Specialist of Wine and a graduate of Boston University Wine Studies and Wine Making programs. He is also a graduate of Cook Street School of Culinary Arts in Denver, CO. He has worked as a personal chef and chef instructor.

If you have any questions, email Chris at chris@snugharborwine.com. You can also follow Chris on Instagram @winechefchris for more delicious food photos!