Ingredients
4 oz. dried Chinese egg noodles
1 Tbs. peanut oil or vegetable oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 oz. tenderloin steak, cut into thin strips
6 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into quarters
1 oz. fresh enoki mushrooms
4 oz. carrots, asparagus, or other assorted vegetables, cut into thin julienne strips
3 Tbs. thinly sliced scallions
1 Tbs. finely chopped ginger
1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C. plum wine
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 C. good quality canned beef broth
2 Tbs. rice wine (or fresh lime juice)
8-10 endive leaves or other decorative salad greens, for serving
Directions
Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the Chinese egg noodles and cook them until al dente, tender but still chewy, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet or wok over high heat, heat the oil and 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add the tenderloin strips and stir-fry them, stirring continuously with a wooden or metal spatula, until lightly seared on all sides, about 3 minutes. Add the shiitake and enoki mushrooms and the julienned vegetables, 1 Tbs. of the scallions, and the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the meat and vegetables from the pan and set aside.
Add the plum wine and the cinnamon and deglaze the pan with a wooden spoon, stirring and scraping to dissolve the pan deposits. Boil until the liquid has reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the broth and continue to boil until the liquid has thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes more. Whisk in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter. Add the cooked noodles and the reserved meat and vegetables. Stir in the rice wine and cook briefly, just until heated through. Correct the seasonings, if necessary, with more salt and pepper to taste.
Arrange the endive leaves around the edges of a large platter. Spoon the steak, noodles, and sauce in the center and garnish with the remaining chopped scallions. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4-6 servings
