I've posted the following recipe for pho before. Tonight I tweaked it a
bit. I used sirloin as I wrote in my note at the bottom, and I added some
V-8 (because I wanted some tomato flavor and I had an open bottle of V-8). I
also added bok choy and baby corn. None of that is traditional of course,
but it was pretty good. I've got a lot of the broth left over. Maybe
tomorrow I'll try adding a Thai curry paste and coconut milk to some of it.


"Vinny Le's Beef and Noodle Soup" from _Terrific Pacific Cookbook_

SOUP
2 pounds beef marrow bones
4 slices (each 1 inch thick) fresh ginger, smashed
3 quarts water
Salt, to taste
1 1/2 pounds first-cut beef brisket, trimmed
1 piece star anise and 1 piece (1 inch long) cinnamon stick, tied in a
cheesecloth bag
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce such as nam pla, plus more for serving with the
soup
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh wide rice noodles or 12 ounces dried [I use thin noodles]

GARNISHES
2 scallions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
2 small hot chiles, green or red, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
6 to 8 sprigs fresh basil, preferably Thai
6 to 8 sprigs fresh mint
Sambal oelek or Chinese chile paste with garlic
Hoisin sauce (optional)

1. Make the soup: Combine the marrow bones, ginger, water, and salt in a
large, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, for
10 minutes, skimming off the froth that rises to the surface.

2. Add the brisket, reduce the heat to low, and cook, skimming often, until
the stock is completely clear, another 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low,
cover, and simmer until the brisket is tender, about 2 hours.

3. Remove the brisket and marrow bones from the stock and set aside.
Remove and discard the bones. Continue to simmer the stock, covered, for
another hour.

4. If the stock does not look clear, strain it through a double layer of
dampened cheesecloth into a clean pot.

5. Return the stock to the heat, add the cheesecloth bag with the star
anise and cinnamon, the 1/4 cup fish sauce, and onions, and simmer for
another 30 minutes. [I add a couple teaspoons of sugar here.]

6. Meanwhile, prepare the noodles: In a large pot, bring about 3 quarts of
water to a boil. Separate fresh noodles with a fork to untangle. Plunge
the noodles into the water for about 30 seconds, just until heated through.
Do not allow them to cook longer. (If using dried noodles, soak them in hot
water for 20 minutes and then plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds.)

7. To serve, cut the reserved brisket across the grain into thin slices.
Divide the noodles among 6 to 8 large soup bowls, add a few slices of
brisket, and ladle some broth over the top. Sprinkle with scallions and
cilantro. Arrange the garnishes in individual plates and bowls and place
them on the table, along with extra fish sauce, if desired.

Serves six to eight

[You can make this meatier: Trim and partially freeze any steak you like --
sirloin is what's generally used -- then cut the steak into very thin
slices. Bring the slices to room temperature, then add them to the broth in
the last one or two minutes of cooking, stirring to separate the slices.
The heat of the broth should cook them to medium-rare almost immediately.
Fish them out as soon as they're cooked to your liking, then add them along
with the brisket slices when you're assembling the soup. Sometimes I add a
15-oz can of tomatoes, too, but that's just because I like tomatoes. Also,
this doesn't really serve six people if they're having it as a meal. It
serves three or four, and I'd still double the garnishes.]

Bob

"Dog3" > wrote in message
1...

>
> Does anyone else have their Thanksgiving dinner planned out yet? I don't
> but have plenty of ideas whirling around.

We're excited that we politely declined from any part of Thanksgiving this
year. We're on our own. It's awesome! Every time we're invited to the
"familiy's" house (which is really my hubby's step-dad's family) we're
expected to cook, so we declined. Let them ruin the turkey this year by
putting it in the oven instead of us smoking it. Ha!

kili

On Sat 01 Oct 2005 12:59:02p, Dog3 wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> I found a 12lb. turkey in the deep freeze (which REALLY needs to be
> cleaned out). I thawed it in the fridge for 3 days and I'm roasting it
> tonight. I'm not doing anything fancy with it. Rub it with oil, S&P and
> stuffing the cavity with lemon, fresh rosemary, celery and onion. I'll
> be serving some fresh mashed, frozen peas and the rest of the broccoli
> and cauliflower. Turkey gravy and rolls will also be on hand.
>
> I guess I'm gearing up for Thanksgiving We'll have 22 family members
> and friends this year. It's the first time in 3 years I've been able to
> do it. I'm excited!

Roast chicken with cornbread dressing, mashed taters, and asparagus. This
morning I made a *gelatin* salad! Made with cider, apples, celery, pecans,
cranberries, and unflavored gelatin (no Jell-o). I baked an egg custard
pie for dessert.

> Does anyone else have their Thanksgiving dinner planned out yet? I
> don't but have plenty of ideas whirling around.

Not a clue, but I do pretty much the same traditional meal every year.


--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
_____________________________

http://tinypic.com/dzijap.jpg

Popie-In-The-Bowl

Dog3 wrote:
> I found a 12lb. turkey in the deep freeze (which REALLY needs to be cleaned
> out). I thawed it in the fridge for 3 days and I'm roasting it tonight.
> I'm not doing anything fancy with it. Rub it with oil, S&P and stuffing the
> cavity with lemon, fresh rosemary, celery and onion. I'll be serving some
> fresh mashed, frozen peas and the rest of the broccoli and cauliflower.
> Turkey gravy and rolls will also be on hand.
>
> I guess I'm gearing up for Thanksgiving We'll have 22 family members
> and friends this year. It's the first time in 3 years I've been able to do
> it. I'm excited!
>
> Michael
>
> P.S.
>
> Does anyone else have their Thanksgiving dinner planned out yet? I don't
> but have plenty of ideas whirling around.

I'm getting tired of turkey for thinksgiving, I'm pretty sure this year
I'll do a fresh ham... still have the usual baked yams and cranberry
sauce, but regardless whether it's turkey or not, I do a huge panful of
kasha vanishkas w/'shrooms... I really don't like any kind of bread
stuffing.

Sheldon

Dog3 wrote:
>
> Does anyone else have their Thanksgiving dinner planned out yet? I don't
> but have plenty of ideas whirling around.

Did turkey last two years, this time it's fresh ham.

Sheldon

Wayne Boatwright wrote on 01 Oct 2005 in rec.food.cooking

> Not a clue, but I do pretty much the same traditional meal every year.
>

I'm dining out for Thankgiving. One meal (Saurday will be ham) I'll supply
a mixed berry crisp. And on the Sunday meal (a turkey) I am thinking a
trifle. Thanksgiving is next Weekend for me as I'm Canadian ane we have
ours earlier than most folks.

--
The eyes are the mirrors....
But the ears...Ah the ears.
The ears keep the hat up.

On 1 Oct 2005 17:28:18 -0700, "Sheldon" > wrote:

>
>Dog3 wrote:
>>
>> Does anyone else have their Thanksgiving dinner planned out yet? I don't
>> but have plenty of ideas whirling around.
>
>Did turkey last two years, this time it's fresh ham.
>
>Sheldon

why not try frying a turkey Sheldon...there's no such thing as "dry
overcooked" when you fry the bird and take it out of the hot peanut
oil as soon as it reaches 175F. If you're careful you won't even catch
your backyard on fire!

Bill