Chow Mein, Chocolate “Soup”

DEAR SOS: I am looking for a delicious but simple recipe for chow mein.

--C.W.

DEAR C.W.: Here is a recipe using Chinese noodles from Song Hee restaurant in Westwood, printed some years back.

SONG HEE BEEF CHOW MEIN

1/4 pound flank steak

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Dry white wine

1/4 pound Chinese egg noodles (thin strips)

Oil

1 cup chicken stock

1/3 pound bean sprouts

Cut beef into paper-thin slices. Place in bowl and sprinkle with pepper, salt, cornstarch, water and 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine. Mix well. Set aside.

Cook noodles in boiling, salted water 15 minutes. Drain. Spread noodles in pan. Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in wok or large skillet. Drop noodles in hot oil and cook until golden brown. Remove noodles from pan and drain. Set aside.

Heat wok 2 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil and heat until smoking. Add beef. Stir-fry until almost done. Add chicken stock, bean sprouts, noodles and season to taste with additional white wine, salt and pepper, if needed. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Turn out onto platter.

Makes 2 servings.

Each serving contains about:

458 calories; 1,016 mg sodium; 75 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 21 grams protein; 0.83 gram fiber.

*

DEAR SOS: We had dinner at Bistro 45 in Pasadena and had a great chocolate soup for dessert. It was soupy in the bottom and had a chocolate crust on top. Delicious.

--S.F.

DEAR S.F.: Step right up, “chocoholics.” This chocolate souffle is for you. It’s called “soup” because the baked souffle is broken and filled with chocolate sauce, thus resembling a bowl filled with soup.

BISTRO 45 CHOCOLATE “SOUP”

3 egg whites

3 egg yolks, beaten

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

10 ounces semisweet chocolate

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon Grande Marnier

Beat egg whites in bowl until stiff. In separate bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and lemon-colored. Fold egg whites into yolk mixture.

Melt 4 ounces chocolate in top of double boiler, then gently fold into eggs. Fold in Grand Marnier. Turn into buttered and sugared 1 1/2-quart souffle dish or 4 individual souffle dishes.

Bake at 400 degrees until souffles are puffed and browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 6 ounces semisweet chocolate in top of double boiler until chocolate melts. Remove from heat and stir in whipping cream. Set aside.

When ready to serve, break surface of souffles with back of spoon and pour 1/4 cup chocolate-cream mixture into each individual souffle or full amount into large souffle.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

670 calories; 62 mg sodium; 266 mg cholesterol; 46 grams fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 0.7 gram fiber.