Happy Monday, my fellow Springdellians! Today we’ll attempt to travel to Vietnam using our taste buds, (and why not as the temperature is 82 degrees today!) I think we could all use some warming up and one yummy way to do so is with a warm pho.
For those of us that may be new to pho, it is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of a complex flavorful clear broth, rice noodles, meat and/or veggies as well as a lovely array of herbs and sprouts. The word pho is traditionally pronounced “fuh” though you often hear the “faux” pronunciation (check out this cute video that breaks down the subject).
You often see beef pho crafted with the assistance of oxtails. If you are fortunate enough to get your hands on grass-fed beef oxtails from Springdell and have some time and culinary curiosity, might I suggest this link to an authentic pho broth. I’ve recently picked up a beef oxtail from Springdell and look forward to sharing a recipe with it soon. Today, however, is Meatless Monday, so let’s keep it veggie, shall we?
The key ingredient of pho is the base of the soup, the broth. The best pho broths are slowly crafted, allowing the many ingredients a full opportunity to make their mark on the scrumptious liquid. I’ll be cheating a little bit by starting with a pre-made Springdell veggie broth and infusing it with some pho flavors.
This is what I put in the slow cooker last night before going to bed. It consisted of a bag of choice Springdell veggie scraps that I collect over time in a gallon freezer bag and freeze until the time is right. Some of the star scraps include tougher outer onion layers, parsnip and carrot nubs and peels, apple cores, leek greens, and the one ingredient that made it ready to roll, shiitake mushroom stems. I also tossed in some garlic, ginger, and bay leaves for good measure.
After straining it in the morning, I had a golden veggie broth to work with in making my pho broth. The veggie broth I didn’t need today was freezer-bound in 1 cup measurements, and the strained veggie scraps were finally laid to rest in the compost bag.
I then mixed the broth with some sautéed ingredients that bring on the pho. I simmered for about 40 minutes or so before draining it (I didn’t really pay attention to the time, as I was swept up with the kids.) At the same time, I sautéed the shiitake caps in some hoisin and sesame oil, fried up some tofu cubes, and assembled some herbs, sprouts and sauces. If the meal had more of my direct attention I would have cooked the mushrooms and tofu simultaneously, also coating the tofu in the hoisin-sesame sauce.
It was delicious. Glen and I totally devoured it. The broth is something special, and made me forget all about the snow and cold for just a spell. The shiitake’s were Glen’s favorite part, which was exciting because he wouldn’t touch mushrooms when we first met. The hoisin and sesame oil made them sweet and meaty in all the right places, and meat was not missed on the table this evening.
Thank your for joining me on tonight’s adventure! I’d love to hear what you are doing with your sprouts and shiitakes! Please feel free to share in the comments. Sweet and savory dreams!