Vietnamese Phở Bò

Phở bò, or Vietnamese beef noodle soup, is Zak’s absolute favorite meal ever.  He says he ate it every day for a year in college and I don’t doubt it for a second.  About three out of every four times we go out to dinner, it’s to our favorite Vietnamese joint for big, steaming bowls of rich, flavorful, delicious, and filling phở bò.

Honestly, I can’t believe that I’ve waited this long to try my hand at homemade phở.  I guess I figured it was hard to make and wouldn’t live up to Zak’s high expectations.  It has a lot of ingredients and a lot of steps, but it really isn’t hard to make and doesn’t require a lot of time in the kitchen.  In fact, most of the recipe is hands off and the most difficult part is assembling the garnish.  We both really, really enjoyed this and were pleasantly surprised by how authentic it tasted.  The broth was fragrant and delicious and the real backbone of this soup, so taste early and often and make adjustments as necessary.  Zak ate this again today for breakfast, so it must have passed the mustard in his eyes, which is all I could have hoped for.

Vietnamese Phở Bò

Adapted from Epicurious

Broth:

2 lbs. beef knuckle bones

2 lbs. beef marrow bones

2 lbs. beef stew pieces

2 3″ pieces of ginger

1 very large sweet onions, greens attached if possible

1/4 cup fish sauce

10 whole star anise

6 cloves

3″ cinnamon stick

1 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. salt

Hold ginger and onion over an open flame on a gas grill with tongs or place on a gas or charcoal grill, turning occasionally, until edges are slightly blackened and ginger and onion are fragrant.  I would estimate it would take 5-6 minutes over an open flame per side.  It took 10-12 minutes per side on a charcoal grill with the coals banked to one side.  Alternatively, you can roast under a preheated broiler for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until slightly blackened and fragrant.  Let cool and peel ginger and onions.  Set aside.

In a large stock pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil.  Meanwhile, place the bones and beef chuck in a separate container and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil and boil vigorously for 5 minutes to remove impurities and prevent cloudiness in the broth.  Carefully strain the bones and meat from the boiling water and rinse with warm water.  [See Note 1 after the jump for a picture of why this is imperative.]

Transfer bones and meat to the 6 qts. of boiling water.  When water returns to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and skim the surface of any foam and fat.  Add charred ginger and onion, fish sauce, and sugar.

As broth simmers, add star anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick to a small hot skillet over medium heat.  Toast 2-3 minutes until fragrant.  Transfer to a piece of cheese cloth or spice packet and tie shut.

Add spice packet, sugar, fish sauce, and salt and let broth simmer, skimming froth and fat occasionally, 2-4 hours, tasting frequently.  If the beef flavor becomes overwhelming, remove beef pieces from the broth.  If the spice becomes too overwhelming, remove spice packet from the broth.  If necessary, add extra fish sauce, salt, or sugar.  I simmered the broth for about 4 hours.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil.  Add noodles and cook 4-5 minutes until al dente.

Place noodles and thinly sliced sirloin in the bottom of two bowls.  Spoon broth over and serve with remaining bowl ingredients for garnish.

The Bowls:

1 16 oz. package bahn pho noodles (see above)

3/4 lb. top sirloin, frozen for about 15 minutes and sliced as thinly as possible

1/2 large sweet onion, sliced paper thin on a mandolin

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

2 limes, cut into wedges

1 jalapeño, thinly sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

Sriracha, to taste

Hoisin, to taste

Serve with bowls and customize to taste.

[See Note 2 below for a picture of our garnish tray.]

Quinoa and Ground Beef Stuffed Hot Hungarian Peppers

I was craving some red meat but didn’t want to go hog wild, so I decided to make some simple stuffed peppers with just a touch of ground beef.  I punched up the protein with a healthy serving of quinoa and made a quick and easy tomato sauce to accompany the whole thing.  The light heat from the paprika, chili powder, and hot Hungarian peppers worked well with the quinoa and cheese.  This dish was yummy and filling and quite quick for a stuffed pepper recipe.

Quinoa and Ground Beef Stuffed Hot Hungarian Peppers

Quinoa and Ground Beef Stuffed Hot Hungarian Peppers:

6 hot Hungarian peppers, roasted, skins removed

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions

1 tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup white onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup ground beef

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tbs. tomato paste

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese blend

Preheat oven to 325º.

In a 10″ cast iron pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until garlic begins to brown and onion is translucent.  Add beef, paprika, and chili powder and brown beef, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes.

Add quinoa and stir to combine.  Add tomato paste and water and stir to combine.  Simmer until water is completely absorbed, about 5 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup Mexican cheese and stir to combine.  Turn off heat and cool slightly.

Using your thumb or a knife, cut a slit in the peppers lengthwise.  Do not remove the seeds or the stem.  Place about 1 tbs. of filling closest to stem.  Pinching in sides, fold in half widthwise.

Place in a casserole dish.  Top with tomato sauce (see below) and remaining cheese.  Cover with tinfoil.  Bake, 25-35 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and peppers are heated through.

[Note: You can also roll these up lengthwise and place seam side down in your casserole dish if your peppers are large enough.  Ours were somewhat slender and this way allowed me to place more filling in each pepper.]

Tomato Sauce:

1 tbs. olive oil

1/4 cup white onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup basil and herb crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. chili powder

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and sauté until onion is translucent.  Add basil and herb crushed tomatoes, paprika, and chili powder.  Simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Corned Beef Reuben with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

A corned beef reuben is one of my favorite sandwiches of all time.  When I was a kid and we went to a bar for dinner, I invariably ordered a reuben.  Though I’m not much for Thousand Island dressing in other situations, I can’t get enough of it with some delicious, melt-y Swiss cheese and a mound of thinly sliced corned beef.  These sandwiches were double-stuffed and super messy, but ridiculously yummy.

Corned Beef Reuben with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing:

Adapted from Food.com

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. Worcestershire

2 tbs. ketchup

1 tbs. white wine vinegar

2 tsp. white sugar

2 tsp. sweet pickle relish

1 tsp. finely minced white onion

1 hard boiled egg, finely minced

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Whisk all ingredients well in a medium bowl.  Let sit several hours or overnight to allow sugar to dissolve and flavors to meld.

Assembly:

.75 lbs. homemade corned beef, sliced very thinly (about 1/8″)

4 slices rye bread

1/2 cup homemade Thousand Island dressing (see above)

1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained

4 thin slices Swiss cheese

2 tbs. Brummel & Brown, divided

Butter both sides of bread with Brummel & Brown.  Take 1-2 tbs. of Thousand Island dressing and smooth over all four slices of bread.

On two slices, place one slice of Swiss cheese.  Top with 1/4 of corned beef (half of amount for each sandwich). Add half of sauerkraut on each sandwich. Top with remaining 1/4 of corned beef and another slice of Swiss cheese.  Top with the other two slices of bread.

Heat remaining Brummel & Brown in a 10″ cast iron pan over medium-high.  Once melted, add sandwiches.  Cook 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions

I know this recipe isn’t particularly helpful to anyone else today, unless you’re looking to celebrate St. Patty’s Day six or seven days late.  But despite my love of food blogging, I really can’t bring myself to pretend it’s natural to cook the food we all identify with a particular holiday a week before that holiday.  Part of the reason I love cooking and eating so much is that food creates memories.  The scent of a turkey fresh out of the oven conjures up the image of Thanksgiving amongst family, for instance – at different houses throughout the years, but with the same loving people, the same delicious side dishes, and the same sounds of football in the background.  Every time I dig into some golden brown, cheesy scalloped potatoes, I think of my mom pulling the casserole out of the oven and the delicious garlic-y aroma that permeated the kitchen.  Steamed clams remind me of the spicy sweet scent of fall leaves and playing tag or whiffle ball with my brother and the neighborhood boys before our yearly clam bakes with the neighbors.

And corned beef and cabbage reminds me of putting on a sweater and watching the Patty’s Day parade in downtown Cleveland after ditching class with my friends from high school and swinging by the Irish American club for dinner, or my dad carefully pulling the brisket out of the large pot on their kitchen stove and then spooning liquid over my potatoes for me on St. Patrick’s day.  It just seems like a betrayal of those delicious and wonderful food memories to make something five days in advance so I can score a few more hits off of a search engine, ya know?

I was pleasantly surprised at how well this turned out.  The flavors were spot on, and the brisket was tender and juicy.  Plus, it doesn’t get much easier than throwing some meat and vegetables in a pot with water and spices and letting it simmer.

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Carrots and Onions

Brine:

1 2.5 lb. beef brisket

1 quart water

1/2 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tbs. pickling salt

1 tbs. saltpeter/allum

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. whole mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. ground mustard

1 tsp. whole black peppercorns

4 whole cloves

6 juniper berries

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground mace

2 dozen ice cubes

Place water into a large stock pot with kosher salt, brown sugar, pickling salt, saltpeter, cinnamon, mustard seeds, ground mustard, whole black pepper corns, whole cloves, juniper berries, bay leaves, ginger, and ground mace.  Cover over high heat until at a low boil, whisking occasionally.  When salt and sugar have dissolved, remove from heat and add ice.

Stir until ice is melted.  Let cool, placing in refrigerator if necessary.  The final temperature should be between 40-50º.

Place brisket in the pot and submerge.  Let sit in brine at least five days, checking occasionally to make sure the brisket is submerged (a heavy pan or plate may be necessary to accomplish this) and flip 2-3 times.

Boiled Corned Beef and Cabbage with Potatoes, Carrots, and Onions:

1 2.25 brined beef brisket (see above for brining instructions)

1/2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. whole cloves

1/2 tsp. whole juniper berries

1/2 tsp. ground yellow mustard

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. ground mace

2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into 2″ segments

7-10  small red potatoes, scrubbed clean

2-3 small yellow onions, halved

1/2 head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Hot horseradish, for serving

After at least five days, remove brisket from brine and rinse under cool water.  Place brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for roughly 2 1/2 hours.

Add potatoes after 2 1/2 hours.  Once slightly tender or about 10-15 minutes, add carrots.  After another 10-15 minutes, add onions and cabbage.  Boil 15-20 minutes until cabbage and onions and tender.

Remove the corned beef from the pot and let rest 10-15 minutes (this can be done before adding the cabbage).  Cut against the grain.

Serve with cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onions, some juice from the boiling liquid, hot horseradish, and/or whole grain mustard.

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy and Roasted Root Vegetables

Salisbury steak was one of my favorite meals when I was younger.  I don’t think my mom made it very often, but I do remember really enjoying it when she did.  So, when I saw this recipe on One Perfect Bite, I knew I had to try it.  Rather than serve it with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles, as is traditional, I decided to pair it with some roasted root vegetables in order to use up some of our CSA bounty.  The flavors of the sauce in this recipe were out-of-this-world rich and delicious, and the root vegetables were perfectly crispy and golden brown on the outside and soft on the inside.  I loved the vintage, throw-back feel of this meal and it was great comfort food on a snowy, frigid day.

I only simmered the Salisbury steaks in the sauce for about ten or fifteen minutes to begin with and they were not fully cooked through, so we had to add them back to the pan.  Be sure to check that they are cooked to your liking before serving by cutting into the thickest part of one of the steaks or using a meat thermometer.

Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy and Roasted Root Vegetables

Adapted from One Perfect Bite

Onion Gravy:

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs. unsalted butter

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tbs. all natural, whole wheat flour

2 cups homemade turkey stock

1/2 cup red wine (I used merlot)

2 tbs. tomato paste

1 tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. sugar

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Add olive oil and butter to a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Once butter is melted, add onions and garlic and season with freshly cracked black pepper.  Stir to coat with butter and olive oil.  Cook over medium-high heat until onions begin to turn deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 15-20 minutes.  When onions  are slightly caramelized, add 1/4 cup turkey stock.

Reduce heat to a low simmer and cover.  Check frequently and add stock as necessary to prevent liquid from totally evaporating and caramelized bits burning.  Simmer until onions are deeply caramelized  This may taken anywhere from 15-30 minutes minutes.  Allow any beef stock remaining to evaporate completely.

Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes.  Add wine to deglaze pan and reduce by half.  Stir in remaining turkey stock, tomato paste, sugar and apple cider vinegar.  Simmer ten minutes to allow flavors to meld.  Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.  Reduce heat to low in order to keep warm.

Salisbury Steak:

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/4 cup Carolina rice, cooked (any white rice will work)

1 egg yolk

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce

3 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tbs. olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Mix ground beef, rice, egg yolk, kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, and thyme in the bowl.  Shape into 2 oval patties about 3/4″ thick.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sear patties 3-4 minutes per side until crust is formed.  Pour gravy over patties and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until patties are cooked through.  Serve topped with onion gravy and a sprig of parsley.

Roasted Root Vegetables:

3 small potatoes, halved or quartered into 2″ segments

2 baby turnips, cut into 2″ cubes

1 parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped into 2″ sections

1 orange carrot, roughly chopped into 2″ sections

1 red carrot, roughly chopped into 2″ sections

2-3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400º.

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and place all vegetables on a single layer on the baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Season with dried thyme, kosher salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.  Place in an even layer.

Add to oven and roast 45 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until brown and crispy.

[Note: I prepared the roasted root vegetable ahead of time, then reheated the oven to 400º and placed the baking sheet back in the oven to heat through, roughly 10-15 minutes]