VIETNAMESE RICE NOODLE SOUP WITH BEEF AND FRESH HERBS
CHEATER’S ASIAN BROTH
- 1 medium onion, thin sliced
- 4 large garlic cloves, thin sliced
- One 2- to 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thin sliced
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 whole star anise, bruised; or ½ teaspoon anise seeds
- Fresh-ground black pepper
- Four 14-ounce cans chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)
- 6 to 8 ounces linguine-style rice noodles
- 6 to 8 ounces top round steak (chicken breast can be substituted), sliced extremely thin
- 10 sprigs fresh coriander
- 6 to 8 sprigs Thai or other fresh basil
- 2 serrano chiles or jalapeños, thin sliced
- Generous handful bean sprouts
- 1 large lime, cut into wedges
- Hoisin sauce
- Hot sauce
Instructions:
You make this soup your own with what you choose to add to it from the table salad.
- Position an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler, and preheat. Double a very large piece of heavy foil. Scatter the onion, garlic, ginger, cloves, anise, and 5 grinds of pepper on the foil. Broil for 5 minutes, turning the pieces once. You want the onion to have some toasted edges, and the spices should be fragrant. Scrape everything into a 6-quart pot. Be sure to get all the anise seed if that’s what you used.
- Add the broth, sugar, and fish sauce, and bring to a gentle bubble. Cover tightly, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the rice noodles in a large bowl, and cover them with very hot tap water. (To keep them hot, cover the bowl with a plate.) Soak the noodles for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are tender but with a little more firmness than you want. Stir a few times. When they are ready, drain and rinse well with cold water. Divide the noodles between two large soup bowls.
- While the broth is simmering and the noodles are soaking, arrange the table salad on a platter and set out the sauces.
- To serve, divide the beef between the soup bowls. Ladle the bubbling broth into the bowls. Top each serving with selections from the table salad.