[Sca-cooks] TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A BROTH

[Lady Orlaith of Storvik]

Having had Pho many times (it's one of my favorite lunches) I'm willing to
bet this recipe is darn close.  Now that I have recipe I might even try
making it myself.

Orlaith

> I wish I knew my boss well enough to ask him <g>! (he's Vietnamese). I
> do have one slender, Vietnamese cookbook, but all the recipe titles are
> in English, so I don't know if the beef-and-noodle soup in it is the
> same as yours (although it certainly sounds similar).
> Here it is:
> BEEF & RICE-NOODLE SOUP
> 1 (3 lb.) oxtail, cut into pieces
> 2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
> 1 large piece ginger root, peeled
> 1 onion, sliced
> 5-6 whole star anise
> 6 cloves
> 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
> 1 T sugar
> 1 t salt
> 2 T fish sauce (nuoc mam)
>
> 1 lb. flat rice noodles, soaked in hot water for 10 mins., then drained
> 8-10 oz. sirloin beef steak, cut into small, paper-thin slices
>
> Prepare the broth:
> Cut off as much of the fat as possible from the oxtail pieces.  Simmer
> it in a large pot with 9 cups of water and the lemon grass, ginger root,
> onion, star anise, cloves, and optional cinnamon.  Simmer about 2.5
> hours, skimming scum from the top as necessary.
> Strain the broth and discard the oxtail and flavoring ingredients (save
> the meat from the bones for another recipe if you like).  Add the sugar,
> salt, and fish sauce to the clear broth, bring back to a boil, and
> simmer for 2-3 minutes.  (At this stage, the broth can be cooled and
> refrigerated for a few days.  The fat can be removed from the top and
> the broth reheated ready to use.)
>
> When ready to serve, bring the broth to a full, rolling boil.  Place a
> few slices of beef steak on top of noodles in bowls, and pour broth over
> that (filling each bowl about three-quarter's full).
> Serve with accompaniments (bean sprouts, shredded cucumber and lettuce,
> thinly sliced onion, seeded and chopped small, red chilies, lime wedges,
> cilantro, mint, and basil leaves, and chili sauce).
> Recipe notes that if you want the beef more cooked, simmer the slices in
> the broth for a few minutes.
> --maire
Lady Orlaith of Storvik
Personal Secretary to Lady Roxanne Greenstreet

AIM: GrdyLdy

Per bend sinister gules and Or, a wolf couchant contourny sable.