Udon it!

How to make a bowlful of noodles into a complete meal 

LOCAL DISH | SHELLEY HANDLER

Fillmore Street is changing as we speak, and I’ll admit to a bit of Fillmore-focused nostalgia of late. Most of my Fillmore memories start and stop at my stomach, from the fun, counter-seated chumminess of the tiny Millard’s, by the Clay Theater, (Helen, Craig and Wendy, I miss you!) to the pristine sushi and deep comfort I found in Ten-Ichi’s udon.

So when my home chef students, Alta Plaza locals Kevin and Emilie, asked for ramen as a part of their recent pork class, it was an easy nudge to convince them that an udon-ramen mashup was the direction to point their noodle cravings.

To honor both udon and ramen, we kept the broth light but deeply flavorful, and stepped up the protein with pork and ginger meatballs and perfectly cooked jammy eggs. We made the mashup even more smashing by adding roasted sweet potatoes, pan-seared, hoisin-sesame pork tenderloin and a garnish of oil-crisped nori. The entire prep whizzed by in just under an hour, and once we slipped the golden jammy eggs and succulent slices of tenderloin into the steaming broth, we were soon slurping delightedly.

Chef Shelley’s Udon

Set a 2-3 qt. saucepan of water on to boil for jammy eggs, one egg per serving. Fill a deep mixing bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes to shock the eggs when they’re cooked.

Noodles of choice: I cheat and buy fresh udon because they’re toothsome and make this more of a full meal.  

Broth: Your choice. I prefer low-sodium chicken broth. (Again, we’re not making strictly traditional ramen here, so you may use whatever type of broth you prefer.)

To make the pork and ginger meatballs:  
1 lb. ground pork (ideally 70% pork, 30% fat)
4” piece fresh ginger (at least 1” wide), peeled and grated
2-3 garlic cloves, minced fine 
salt, pepper, soy sauce  
vegetable oil

First, peel and grate the ginger; the peel scrapes off easily using the edge of the bowl or a spoon. Mince garlic. Mix pork with grated ginger and minced garlic and season with salt, pepper and a splash of soy and mix thoroughly. Make a tiny patty of the pork mixture, pan fry it, and taste to see if the seasoning is to your liking. If so, roll the pork into balls about 1” in diameter. Saute the meatballs in a heavy frying pan (a cast iron skillet also works well) until nearly cooked through. Continue browning the meatballs and set them aside when they are almost fully cooked.

Meanwhile, drop the eggs in to boil and set the timer for exactly 6½ minutes. When the egg timer goes off, remove the eggs from boiling water, drop them immediately in the ice water and leave them to cool thoroughly. Meanwhile, let the water continue to boil and add the noodles, making sure to cook them al dente.

To a bowl of heated broth, add seasonings. I dose my chicken broth with sesame oil, a splash of soy, a very small splash of fish broth and toasted sesame seeds. Add the noodles to the bowl, peel and slice an egg lengthwise and slip it in the broth yolk-side up. Add the meatballs and whatever else floats your udon. Other possible add-ins: blanched spinach, broccolini or any other vegetable of your choice and roasted pork tenderloin.

Then start slurping.

Shelley Handler, a longtime local who was the first head chef at the legendary Chez Panisse Cafe in Berkeley and an instructor at the California Culinary Academy, now teaches her neighbors, in their own kitchens, to cook better. Contact her through her website.