Cool Rice Noodle Nests Recipes

COOL RICE-NOODLE NESTS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles; cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse noodles with cold water, then transfer to a medium bowl of cold water; swish to separate. Drain. Return noodles to the empty bowl. Add oil; toss to coat, separating the noodles with your fingers.
• Wind a small amount of the noodles around a fork to shape them into a nest. Transfer nest to a serving platter. Repeat with remaining noodles. Cover noodle nests with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 8 hours.

SPAGHETTI NESTS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of four 4-inch-diameter springform pans.
• For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. Add the spinach, cheese, oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well until the spinach is wilted. Set aside to cool.
• For assembly: Beat the Parmesan, milk, salt and egg together in a large bowl until smooth. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti mixture until well combined. Twirl 1/2 cupfuls of the spaghetti mixture around tongs or a large fork and transfer to the prepared pans. Make an indentation in the middle of each nest of pasta and drizzle with olive oil. Bake 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before removing the sides from the pans. Remove the bottoms of the pans from the nests using a thin metal spatula.
• Spoon 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce on each of 4 serving plates. Place the spaghetti nests on the sauce. Place 3 balls of the mozzarella in each nest and serve.

PORK STIR-FRY WITH NOODLE NESTS

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the mirin, tamari and cornstarch. Add the pork; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour., Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Spread noodles over a paper towel-lined baking sheet; set aside., Drain and discard marinade from pork. In a small bowl, combine the broth, oyster sauce, mirin, tamari, cornstarch, ginger and garlic., In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry pork in oil for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, corn, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, celery and shallots; cook 4-6 minutes longer or until pork is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender., Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in snow peas; heat through., Meanwhile, arrange noodles into six nests on a greased baking sheet; spray tops with cooking spray. Broil 4-5 in. from the heat for 7-9 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Serve with stir-fry.

COOL NOODLES WITH VIETNAMESE GARNISHES

Steps:

• SAUCE:.
• In a mortar, with a pestle, pound the sea salt and garlic into a paste. Add the chiles and pound to a paste. Transfer the mixture to a small mixing bowl and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, palm sugar, vinegar and fish sauce and cook, stirring , over medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Cool, then add to the pounded paste, mix well and set aside.
• TURKEY:.
• In a 12 inch skillet, heat th eoil over high heat for 1-2 minutes or until very hot. Add the ground turkey and cook, stirring to separate and crumble the meat, until evenly browned.
• Add the lemongrass, curry powder and sea salt, mix well, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and cover until ready to serve.
• NOODLE NESTS:.
• In a 6 qt saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil. Drop the noodeles into the boiling water and stir to separate the strands. Let boil vigorously for 2 mintues.
• Drain and rinse with several changes of cold water. Then fill saucepan with water and return noodles to pan.
• With your middle or index finger, scoop up a 1 inch bundle of noodles. Squeeze out excess water with your other hand.
• Twist the noodles into a figure 8 bundle then fold over to make a circular nest and place on a large serving platter. Repeat with rest of noodles.
• TO SERVE:.
• Place a bowl of the chile sauce in the center of a large platter. Arrange the nests of noodles on one side and mounds of the bean sprouts, green beans, fennel and cilantro on the other.
• Set a bowl of the turkey topping nearby.
• Have each guest put 3 or 4 nests on his or her plate, top with a couple spoonfuls of turkey, as well as the vegetable garnishes, then drizzle several spoonfuls of the sauce over the noodles, separating an loosening he strands so the noodles absorb the sauce.

NOODLE NESTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray, butter, or in some way lubricate your mini-muffin (or reg muffin pans) WELL, otherwise there is a good chance you will be digging these out of the pan (even silicon pans need a good oiling) and end up with a delicious mountain of destroyed nests. And muffin liners (even the foil ones) don't work well either, trust me.
• Cook pasta (or use left overs).
• Chop meat, cheese and onion; mix together with pasta.
• In a large measuring cup (2 cup works well), beat eggs slightly, stir in cream, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Evenly distribute the dry mixture among the mini-muffin pans, then evenly pour custard mixture into each muffin cup. There will be left over - there always is. These puff up, so you don't necessarily want to take the liquids all the way up to the top.
• Bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven, run a knife around the edge of each nest to loosen from the sides of the muffin cups. Let cool 5-10 min before removing.
• These are best warm, but usually consumed piping hot - be warned!
• Check description for flavor substitutes and make ahead instructions.

NESTING NOODLE RICE PILAF

Steps:

• In a large, 14-inch skillet (with a lid) saute the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt in 2 tablespoons butter until liquid is evaporated and the mushrooms become nut brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add shallots and another tablespoon butter in the last couple minutes of cooking.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, salt, and the rice, stirring to coat and lightly toasting the rice for about 3 minutes. Meanwhile bring the chicken stock to a boil.
• Make several holes in the rice and nestle in the noodle nests. Fit in as many nest as space will allow. Pour oven the hot chicken stock and cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 25 minutes, until rice is tender and noodles are cooked through.