Fresh Noodles with Poached Salmon and Shrimp

If you can find fresh, thick noodles, like Udon, in an Asian store, snap them up! They are infinitely better than the dried type—thick and chewy and really satisfying. If you do not have access to fresh Asian noodles then use dry Udon and if you cannot find Udon at all, use fresh linguini.

What you place on top of the noodles is completely up to you and your taste buds. I like seafood (salmon and shrimp here) but poached chicken would be nice or grilled, rare beef slices would be delicious, as well. Going all veg would be the healthiest choice—and tasty, too.

Broth

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thick pieces

2” piece fresh lemon grass, white part only, smashed with the back of a knife

2 heaping tablespoons (dessert spoons) white miso paste

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon sake or dry white wine
Pinch of red pepper flakes

3 cups water

Noodles to serve 2 (dependent upon which type of noodle you are using)

1 6 oz. filet salmon

4 large shitake mushrooms, stem removed and sliced

½ pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 heads bok choi (pak choi), sliced

4 thin green onions (spring onions), sliced up to the dark green part

Soy sauce to taste

1) Place all the broth ingredients into a pot and bring just to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and allow to steep.

2) While the broth is steeping, bring a large pot of water on to boil and cook the noodles to package directions until al dente (be careful not to over-cook). Drain and set aside.

3) Poach the seafood and veg: Turn the heat up under the broth, bring it to simmer and place the salmon and shitakes into the broth, simmering for 3 minutes, then add in the shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp turn pink (3 minutes or so). Remove from the broth, cover to keep warm and set aside. Also at this time, pick out the ginger and lemon grass—discard. Now add the bok choi into the broth, remove the pan from the heat and cover. Leave covered for 5 minutes to steep.

4) Toss the sliced green onion into the broth with the bok choi. Place the noodles into 2 bowls and pour the broth over and lay the seafood on top. Drizzle with a bit of soy sauce and serve warm.

Serves 2