Greens and Shiitakes with Rice Noodles

In-Season Winter Recipes Greens

This recipe can be made with seasonal vegetables of all kinds. I’ve used hakurei turnips and broccoli in the fall (in addition to the greens). Feel free to add more vegetables than are called for here.

Dried shiitake mushrooms are sold in large bags in Asian grocery stores and keep forever. You can substitute 3 or 4 ounces fresh shiitakes if you like. Substitute water or broth where shiitake-soaking liquid is called for.

By / Photography By E. S. Bruhmann | December 02, 2017

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)

8 ounces thin rice noodles
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup of tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup or sorghum
2 tablespoons roasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon bourbon
Hot sauce to taste
2–3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ pound greens (kale, collard, mustard etc.), or more
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup finely chopped peanuts, optional

Instructions

Cover mushrooms with 1 cup boiling water and set aside for 1 hour (or refrigerate them overnight).

Cover noodles with boiling water and set aside. Combine soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil. Set aside.

Squeeze mushrooms, catching the liquid in the soaking bowl. Remove stems from mushrooms and discard. Slice mushroom into 1/4-inch thick slice. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Cook the shiitakes over high heat so that they brown well (3 to 4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Stem the greens, rinse well and shake dry. Cut into thin strips. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in the mushroom pan over high heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add greens and 1/2 cup of the soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally until most of the liquid is boiled away. Drain noodles and add to pan. Pour in about 1/2 cup of mushroom liquid and stir over high heat. Mix cornstarch into remaining soy sauce mixture and stir to remove lumps. Add to pan along with the mushrooms and cook until the sauce thickens. If you’d like a little soupier sauce, add more mushroom liquid.

Serve topped with peanuts, if desired.