Stir Fried Noodles with Spring Vegetables

1 pound fresh Asian noodles

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

2 stalks of scallion, sliced

1 carrot, julienned

1 stalk of celery, sliced

1 red pepper, julienned

1/2 pound asparagus tips

1 cup small peas, I used sugar snaps instead

3 tablespoons of oyster sauce

2 teaspoons Maggi seasoning sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine (Mirin)

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

3 tablespoons sesame oil

Boil the noodles and drain, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Heat the wok and add the grapeseed oil.

Stir fry the vegetables, starting with the carrot, then the peppers, etc. cooking the sturdiest vegetables first.

Add the oyster sauce, Maggi seasoning, rice wine, and sugar, cook 30 seconds.

Add the cooked noodles and cook one minute. Add the sesame oil. Add the reserved water if needed. Heat through and serve.

Bleuberry Coffeecake

I got this recipe from a large book called "Great American Baking"-there are no author credits. I bought it used from a disgruntled chef leaving the business. I have alot of blueberries for some reason and this looked appealing to me. Dough: 1 package dry active yeast 1/4 cup warm water1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup milk, scalded and cooled 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 to 2 1/2 cups flour Dissolve the yeast in the water, let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy, add the sugar, milk, salt, egg, and butter. Begin adding the flour 1 cup at a time, knead until smooth and elastic. I just mixed it all up in my Kitchen Aid and left it on the dough hook for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turn to coat and cover the bowl wtih a towel or plastic wrap, place in a warm place to rise until doubled-about 1 1/2 hours. Filling: 2 cups blueberries 3/4 cups sour cream-I used blueberry yogurt 1 egg 3 tablespoons brown sugar Combine the blueberries, sour cream or yogurt, and egg-reserve the brown sugar. To assemble the cake: Roll out the dough into a 13" by 10" rectangle, and place it on a greased baking sheet. Make 3" cuts at 1/2" intervals along the long sides of the rectangle of dough. Spread the blueberry-sourcream mixture down the center of the dough. Sprinkle the reserved brown sugar over the berries. Fold the short ends of the dough up over the filling. Criss cross the strips along the side up over the filling. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Cover lightly and let rise for 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

Party Gras

My Crawfish Boil class at Kitchen Conservatory. I met alot of new friends and got to see a couple of people who have taken some of my previous classes. Carnival season is over, time to repent and eat alot of fish and begin to get ready for Easter and the ham and lamb eating season.

Celery, Leek, and Carrot Mimosa

Sometimes some realy simple ingredients are what I crave. Here is an example. The celery and leek are julienned and blanched, the small carrots are blanched whole. The vegetables are arranged on ruby greens-does that sound oxymoronic?, because it is really just red lettuce. the vegetables are topped with chopped hard cooked egg and toasted Hazelnuts.

The salad is dressed with:

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard

1/3 cup hazelnut oil

Salt and pepper

Chopped fresh tarragon (optional)

Stir well before drizzling over the salad

Mimosa doesn't always mean Champagne and orange juice and everyone's favorite breakfast drink. The Food Lover's Companion describes it thusly "A garnish so named because it resembles the yellow mimosa flower. Consisting of finely chopped, hardcooked egg yolk, it is sprinkled over salads and vegetables." I added the egg whites as well and the hazelnuts on my own.