Donabe Seafood Soup With Udon Noodles

MAKE-IT-YOUR-OWN UDON NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Prepare noodles according to package directions, and drain. Toss with a teaspoon of sesame, olive, vegetable or canola oil to prevent them from sticking together, and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil until it shimmers, and sauté the grated ginger and garlic until you smell it (less than a minute). Do your best not to burn it. Add 2 cups of stock to the pot. Be careful - it might splatter.
• Bring the stock to a boil, and lower the heat to a simmer (about medium-low). Add carrots (or any hard, root vegetables, if using), and cook until they are crisp-tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add tofu or any vegetables (except spinach), and cook until tender but still bright in color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat, and cover to keep warm.
• In a small pot, heat the remaining 1 cup of stock until it steams. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the miso paste until the miso is completely dissolved, then pour the entire miso mixture into the pot with the soup. (If using soy sauce instead of miso, skip this part and add the rest of the stock and soy sauce.) Stir in the cooked noodles and fresh spinach, if using, and heat through over medium-low, if necessary. Do not bring the soup to a boil with the miso: Some cooks believe this can ruin the miso's delicate flavor. Top as desired and season additionally, if desired, with soy sauce.

NABEYAKI UDON SOUP WITH CHICKEN, SPINACH, AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place sardines or kombu in a large Dutch oven or donabe, fill with 6 cups water, and set aside at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, cook spinach in a medium pot of boiling salted water until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels. Gently squeeze water from spinach, then transfer to a cutting board and cut into 2" slices. Transfer to a plate. Return liquid to a boil, add snow peas, and cook until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer to plate with spinach. Wipe out pot and reserve.
• Bring sardine liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using slotted spoon, discard sardines, then reduce heat to medium. Add chicken and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, tofu (if using), soy sauce, mirin, and remaining 3/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender, 3-5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook udon in reserved pot 2 minutes less than package directions.
• Bring chicken mixture to a simmer. Drain noodles and add immediately to pot. Add spinach, snow peas, scallions, and fish cake (if using), arranging each into sections and leaving an opening for egg.
• Gently beat eggs in a small bowl with a whisk or chopsticks. Pour into broth and cook until just set, about 2 minutes.
• Serve soup immediately in pot tableside, portioning into individual bowls.

ANYTHING GOES DONABE

Steps:

• Place noodles in a large bowl and add cold water to cover; let soak 15 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, combine dashi, mirin, and soy sauce in a medium bowl.
• Place thinly sliced scallions in a small bowl and add cold water to cover. Soak until they begin to curl, 8-10 minutes. Drain; squeeze to remove excess water.
• Lay cabbage in a large donabe or Dutch oven. Arrange clams, shrimp, snapper, chicken, tofu, mushrooms, carrot, 2" scallion pieces, and noodles on top; add dashi mixture.
• Cover donabe and heat over medium-high until liquid is just simmering. Uncover, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer until clams open and chicken and fish are cooked through, 5-8 minutes.
• Serve topped with drained scallions.