Perfect Pairing
Comfort eating got a kickstart this year, as we baked our way out of lockdown fever. With home-made pasta, sticky date pudding and sourdough hogging the limelight in recent months, aren’t you ready to savour something light and fragrant, something to sustain you through winter?
A bowl of broth with noodles, mushrooms, greens and bristling with ginger and chilli, is comforting yet light and will warm hands, heart and belly. Add-ons, swap-outs, mix-ins and toppings make things interesting – keep it clean and simple with tofu and kimchi, give it a kick with chilli-soy beef, or dirty it up with stir-fried pork and a fried egg. It’s a build-your-own-adventure in a bowl that brings a sense of well-being. Oh, and did we mention there’s dessert?
Mushroom-Ginger Noodle Broth
This is a super-simple dish but as with all simple things, the key to success lies in getting the basics right. In this case, it’s all about the stock, so use a good quality one. Beef stock packs a flavour punch, while chicken or vegie stock are lighter options. You could also double down on mushroom goodness and make a quick mushroom stock – simply simmer 2 litres water with 4 chopped field mushrooms, 1/2 bunch spring onions and 2 halved heads of garlic for 45 minutes then strain, reserving the liquid.
Simmer 6 cups of your favourite stock with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 thinly sliced spring onions, 2 tbsp finely grated ginger and 2 finely grated cloves of garlic for 15 minutes to infuse the stock with flavour. Add a couple of handfuls of mushrooms – sliced shiitakes, torn oyster mushrooms, velvety black fungi or enoki – along with some chopped greens (broccolini, bok choy or choy sum). Let it simmer for a minute or two until the vegetables wilt and soften.
While the stock simmers, cook your noodles. Fresh egg noodles have a gorgeous bouncy texture, or you could opt for dried soba, somen, ramen or rice noodles. Follow the packet directions for cooking, allowing about 90 grams of fresh noodles or 60 grams of dried noodles per person. Once the noodles are ready, drain and divide among serving bowls then ladle in the hot broth and vegetables.
Serves 4
To change things up a bit go for some toppings:
1 Add a chicken breast to the stock as it simmers and when cooked remove, shred and add back to the soup. 2 Soft-boil an egg for each person (6 1/2 minutes in boiling water is the no-fail secret to perfect eggs), peel, halve and pop it on top. 3 Thinly sliced seared sirloin steak is the perfect crowning glory, as is minced pork or tofu stir-fried with ginger, chilli, soy sauce and mirin.
And then there are the possibilities for condiments and seasonings:
1 Bring heat with slices of birds eye chilli, a sprinkle of Japanese togarashi, a drizzle of chilli oil or a tumble of pungent kimchi. 2 Add an acidic kick with a splash of black vinegar or rice vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice, and layer in more fragrance with extra grated ginger, sliced spring onion, droplets of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.
Miso Caramel Pears
Although more often associated with savoury dishes, miso adds a certain umami something to desserts, too. A teaspoon or two of white miso in this caramel sauce takes it from cloying to just-can’t-stop deliciousness. Consider it an updated salted caramel.
Stir 1 cup of honey or maple syrup and the thinly-peeled rind and juice of an orange in a large ovenproof pan over medium heat to combine. Halve four pears and scoop out the core with a teaspoon. Add the pears to the pan, turn to coat and then put in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes until the pears are tender. Transfer the pears to a bowl with a slotted spoon then set the pan over high heat. Boil for 4-5 minutes until the syrup caramelises, add 3/4 cup of pouring cream and 1-2 teaspoons white miso and stir to combine. Pour over the pears and serve with yoghurt or ice-cream. Serves 4
For an extra little bit of something:
Blitz 1 tbsp black sesame seeds and 1 tbsp caster sugar in a blender to combine. Add 1/2 tsp sea salt and another 2 tsp black sesame seeds. Scatter over the miso caramel pears to taste.
Words & Recipes_ Emma Knowles @emmatknowles
Photos_ Lou Fay