Pho(ck)ing Delicious.... Pho Sure, Pho Real, Pho The Love Of It!!!!!

In case you don't know I am working on writing a novel for the first time. It's been tedious, rewarding, exhausting, enlightening, challenging, isolating, awakening and down right frustrating at times. And while there's nothing better than expressing yourself through words, cooking and eating are a great escape if only for a minute. The trick is to cook something that you love, is easy to make, can be made in large portions, can be easily reheated and is versatile enough to last a few days without giving you the feeling that you are eating the same thing again on day one, two and three.

Pho (pronounced FAH) is a Vietnamese noodle soup made from beef stock, star anise and cinnamon & is about as classic in Vietnam as chicken soup is in the U.S. I could go on and on about it but I'm sure that some of you have had it so no need to preach to the choir.  To those of you that have not here is a quick and easy pitch. This soup is a cure all. If you have a cold, drink it up. If you had a bad break up, slurp it up. If you have a huge assignment due at work, eat it up. If you are hungry, scarf it up and if you are bored, spice it up! This soup is soooooo (Pho)cking Good that once you try it you will crave it on most occasions, especially if those occasions have anything to do with a need for comfort.... It's like a warm blanket on a cold day or like an ice cold rag on a hot summer day........ Pho(ck) it Up!!!!!  

In my version I give the steak a quick sear after seasoning it with salt & pepper, this adds another layer of flavor to the dish in my humble opinion. Normally the steak is raw and cooked by placing it in the hot soup at the table right before you eat it.


On The Menu Today: Pho

Condiments & Noodles

Pho Broth

Pho Soup Base & Noodles
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 1 Hour
Stove Temp: Boil Then Simmer

Ingredients: 1 Sweet Onion, 64 Oz Beef Stock, 2 Inches Ginger, 1 Stalk
Lemon Grass, 1 Stick Cinnamon, TT Coarse Salt, TT Cracked Pepper,
1 Star Anise

Pho Process: Slice 1/4 of the onion into small rings, slice the ginger into
thin slices and the lemongrass into 3 inch portions and then add 1 Tbs
grape seed oil to a soup pot preheated to mid heat. Add the onions,
ginger, cinnamon stick, star anise and the lemongrass to the pot
allowing to cook while stirring for 5 minutes. Add the beef stock and
bring to a boil before reducing the heat to a simmer, cover and allow
soup base to cook for 1 hour. 

Cellophane Noodle Process: Bring water to a boil, take water off heat
add noodles and cover to steep for 20 minutes. 

Condiments & Additions

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: N/A

Stove Temp: N/A

Ingredients & Process: Basil, Mint, Mung Bean Sprouts, Cilantro, Sweet Onions
sliced thinly, Red & Green Jalapenos thinly sliced.  

Sweet Onions Close Up: Cut extremely thin as these are added to the
raw to the hot soup as a condiment. 

Condiments: Sriacha , Hoisin Sauce, Fish Sauce & Fresh Lime Wedges

Sirloin 

Prep Time: 1 Minute 

Cooking Time: 3 Minutes 

Stove Temp: High Heat 

Sirloin Ingredients: Sirloin, Salt & Pepper.  

Process: Season with salt & pepper, add 1 tsp of grape seed oil to a searing
hot pan and cook on one side for 1 minute and the other for 1 minute.
Take off heat and cut into thin slices as soon above. * Don't worry
the piping hot soup will cook the beef.....

Get a bowl of the soup, be sure that it is boiling hot. Add the noodles,
then the meat and the condiments and enjoy. Simply nothing better.. The
Bentley of soups........

Pho Real!

Pho Sure! 

Pho The Love Of It!

Pho Goodness Sake...

*This last plating looks cool but is not recommended for Pho. Use a deep bowl, get a bib out and some chop sticks instead, trust me it taste much better when it is dripping down your chin like it should. By the way a proper foodie drinks the broth out of the bowl by tilting it up to his face if we are standing on ceremony..