Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowl

A super quick weekday meal with rich Asian flavors.  You can use just about any vegetables in this - bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, broccoli, snow pea pods, baby corns etc.  I kept it simple here with red bell peppers.  This version served the hubby and I with some chicken left over.  I would double everything but the chicken if you are making it for 4 people.  I adapted this from Cooking Light's August 2012 edition.

1 cups water
1 cup broth - chicken or veggie
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1-2" piece of ginger, cut in slices
12 - 16 (or more) shiitake mushrooms  (I love these, so I did about 20)
1 - 1.5# chicken tenderloin
1/4 - 1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
1 package Udon noodles
Optional - sliced green onions for garnish

Put the broth, water, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a pan.  Remove the caps from the mushrooms, thinly slice and set aside.  Cut the root end off the stems, then add them to the broth.  Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, then turn off heat and let steep while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Press the sesame seeds into the chicken.  Add the olive oil to a non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Cook the chicken, in two batches, until just done.  The seeds will become toasted and browned.  Set chicken aside and add the mushrooms and peppers (or whatever veggies you are using) to the pan.  Cook until barely softened.  Pour the broth through a strainer over the veggies and bring to a simmer.  Add the Udon noodles and heat through, 1- 2 minutes.

Arrange the chicken to the side of each bowl.  Divide the veggie/noodle mixture among the bowls and then ladle some broth around the chicken.  Garnish with green onions if desired.

Salad of Filet with Red Wine Onion Reduction and Shitake Mushrooms

While the hubby had his Filet with Red Wine Onion Sauce and Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms along side of some Spicy and Creamy Collard Greens, I chose to have mine over a salad of mache mix.  I topped with mache mix with cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, cucumber rounds, scattered the sauteed mushrooms around the edge, arranged the medium rare steak slices on top and finished with the red wine onions.  I also did a side of blue cheese dressing.  Talk about an amazing salad!

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Onion Sauce and Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms

The hubby was lucky enough to get this tonight :) He had it with Spicy and Creamy Collard Greens.
While your filets are cooking on an indoor grill pan or out on the grill, make the sauce and mushrooms.

For the Red Wine Onion Reduction:
2 strips bacon, diced
1 small onion, fine dice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2c good quality red wine - one that you would like to drink with the steak
1-2 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into small peices
salt and pepper

In a saute pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon. Add the onion to the pan and cook over medium heat until very soft. You don't want the onions to brown. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two more. Add the wine and crank the haet to high. Bring to a boil and reduce wine to just a few tablespoons. Turn off the heat, add the cold butter pieces and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

For the mushrooms:
1/2# Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and cut into strips
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper

Put the butter and oil in a saute pan over high heat. When melted and butter stops foaming, add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper.