Pot-Browned Noodles With Beef and Leeks

Submitted by SheCooksToConquer

"This is from an old Cuisinart "Pleasures of Coking" magazine (Dec. 1980) and is by Barbara Tropp (with some tweaking from Yours Truly). I've edited out a lot of the Cuisinart-specific steps, and just put in the basics. It seems long and complicated, but it really comes together quite easily, and has always been a big hit with my family. If you can't find fresh egg noodles, regular thin spaghetti works just fine. Prep time does NOT include marinating, since you can marinate the meat anywhere from one hour to overnight. The original recipe calls for deep-frying the beef, but I find that a quick stir-fry works just as well."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 2-4

ingredients

• 1⁄2 lb flank steak, trimmed of fat and sliced thin

• MARINADE

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3⁄4 lb leek, trimmed, cleaned and sliced in 2-inch lengths
• 1⁄2 lb fresh Chinese egg noodles or 1/2 lb any long thin egg noodles

• FOR THE NOODLES

• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dark brown sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• COOKING AND FINISHING

• 9 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon chinese rice wine or 1 tablespoon pale sry sherry wine
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dark brown sesame oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

directions

1. Slice beef into thin, 2" long strips.
2. Combine soy sauce, cornstarch, vegetable oil and brown sugar and pour over beef. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and marinate an hour at room temperature or several hours to overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Rinse the leeks thoroughly to remove all the sand and grit. Cut them into 2" lengths (white and about 2" of green), and slice about 1/4" wide.
4. Cook the noodles, only 3-5 minutes (longer for dried spaghetti) , until cooked but still firm. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until thoroughly chilled. In a lint-free clth, roll and pat the noodles dry. Put them in a plastic bad and toss with sesame oil and salt, and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. In a wok or large skillet, stir-fry the beef in 2 T of oil.
6. Heat a heavy, 12- or 13-inch skillet over high heat. Add 5 T of oil and swirl around until bottom and sides of skillet are coated. When the oil is very hot, coil the noodles evenly over the bottom of the pan, press down with a spatula, and cover the pan.
7. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is nicely browned. Turn the noodles over like a pancake, press down, cover and cook another 5-7 minutes. (You may need to add another T of oil.).
8. While the second side of the noodles brown, whisk together the rice wine, 2 t of brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame oil.
9. Heat a wok over high heat. Add the remaining 2 T of oil and wait until the oil is fully hot. Add leeks to the wok and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Lower heat to medium, sprinkle in the salt and remaining sugar, cook 40 seconds.
10. Add the meat to the pan, toss briskly to combine the beef and leeks. Add the liquids and stir to combine. Raise the heat to high for 5-10 seconds to bring the liquids to a boil, stirring all the time. Turn off the heat and over the wok.
11. Turn the browned noodle onto a large plate, top the noodles with the beef and leeks.