Mushroom Marsala Udon Noodle Bowls

The second annual Fortune Asian Noodle Blogger Recipe Challenge is on and I'm so excited to share my first entry with you! This year, the challenge is to create a fusion udon soup so I'm mixing it up with an Italian twist!

Chicken Marsala Udon Soup using Udon Mushroom Flavored Noodles delivers the perfect umami mushroom flavor in less than 30 minutes!

Chef Yaki Mushroom Marsala Udon Noodle Bowls

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove minced garlic
1/3 cup marsala wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 package (7.25 oz) Fortune Udon Noodles Mushroom Flavor
1 ½ cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 Tablespoon chopped chives

Pour the oil in a medium sized soup pot over medium-high heat.  Sauté the sliced mushrooms until well browned and most of the liquid has cooked off, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the marsala wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Once the marsala has evaporated, stir in the stock and seasoning packet. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and udon noodles to the soup mixture and allow the noodles to simmer in the hot broth without stirring, for 3 minutes. Once the noodles have softened, and chicken is warmed through gently stir to separate the noodles.

Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

You can purchase JSL Foods products at: Albertson, Lucky's, Von's, Pavilions, WinCo and Target and you can find JSL Foods on their website, Facebook and twitter

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Duck Bacon Corn Cakes with Duck Confit and Chipotle Bourbon Maple Butter

I'm so thrilled to be able to share that I am the Grand Prize Winner of the 

Maple Leaf Farms Strut Your Duck Recipe Contest!

My "Father's Day Quack Stacks" - Duck Bacon Corn Cakes with Duck Confit and Chipotle Bourbon Maple Butter won me $6,000 and free duck products for a year!! 

I can't even believe I won and I can't wait to start getting all of those ducky deliveries! 

This was the first year that I entered this contest, and I'm so glad I did. Every year seeing the impressive entries that were up for judging really intimidated me and it kept me from even trying. 

So glad I got over that! 

Now I have two new favorite ingredients that I'm in love with: the confit (so easy to use and already fully cooked) and especially the duck bacon (I'd never heard of it before and now I'm in love)! The duck bacon may become a regular freezer staple from now on. The contest called for dishes that highlighted duck for any holiday and for this recipe, I chose to celebrate Father's Day. When brainstorming ideas I started thinking, what do dads like besides duck? Bourbon and spice. And brunch. And peace and quiet.

At least he can get the first three....

Father’s Day Quack Stacks - Duck Bacon Corn Cakes with Duck Confit and Chipotle Bourbon Maple Butter

1 package Maple Leaf Farms Duck Leg Confit (16 oz)

4 slices Maple Leaf Farms Duck bacon, chopped 

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow corn meal

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh corn, roughly chopped

1 egg

½ cup milk

3 Tablespoons Maple Leaf Farms All Natural Rendered Duck Fat 

3 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup minced shallot

½ cup bourbon

3 Tablespoons chipotle puree

1 Tablespoon maple syrup

1 1/3 cup baby arugula leaves

2 Tablespoons chopped chives

Prepare the duck confit per package instructions using the oven method. Once the confit is warmed through, shred the meat and discard the bones and skin. Reserve the pan juices for later use. 

In a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, cook the bacon until browned and crisp (about 10 minutes).

Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, and place in a medium mixing bowl. Add the flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt to the bowl, and stir until thoroughly combined. Gently stir in the corn, egg, milk and 2 Tablespoons of the duck fat. Stir until smooth.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle to medium-high heat. Brush the skillet with the remaining duck fat. Using a ½ cup scoop, pour 4 corn cakes in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side. 

In the same cast iron skillet the bacon was cooked in, cook the butter and shallots until the shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bourbon and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the bourbon has reduced and is almost gone. Once the bourbon has evaporated, pour ½ cup of the reserved pan juices from the duck confit to the sauce and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Whisk in the chipotle and maple syrup. Strain the sauce with a fine mesh strainer.

To serve, place an even amount of baby arugula leaves on four plates. Top with a corn cake, an equal amount of shredded duck confit and drizzle generously with strained sauce. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately. 

Serves 4.

Be sure to check out my other entry Mardi Gras Mambo Fried Green Tomatoes with Duck Confit and Duck Bacon Remoulade as well! These were a huge hit at my house and didn't last long!