Vegetarian OR Meat
To be economical with our limited space in the newsletter I attempting to meld two recipes kind of side by side. Kelly’s recipe is vegetarian and uses dried porcini mushrooms and vegetable stock as the base for the broth, I am using a Kombu stock instead because I use it in both the meat and vegetarian versions of this recipe.
For the Kombu Broth
4 pieces of Kombu
2 QTs of Water
If you are doing a meat version you can add 2 strips of good fatty bacon to the pot; it gives a great smoky flavor and the fat makes the broth even better. Put the kombu into a heavy sauce pan and cover with the water. Let sit until soft, about 15 minutes, then heat to just barely a simmer and cook for about 1 hour. When it is done, strain and save the liquid for your Ramen broth. What you don’t use can be refrigerated for a couple of days or frozen and used later. To save time, make the kombu broth in advance, but if you are like me and never think ahead, start cooking the kombu broth a good 1/2 hour before starting the next step.
1 medium Onion, diced
1 Carrot, diced
1 TB Olive Oil
1 TB Toasted Sesame Oil OR for the meat version use Pork Fat or Chicken Fat
2 cups good Vegetable Broth OR 2 cups Eatwell Farm Chicken Stock OR 2 cups good Beef Stock
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2” piece of fresh Ginger, sliced
2 TB Soy Sauce
2 tsp Chili Paste
In a heavy bottomed pot sauté the carrots and onion until soft. Then add the rest of the ingredients and slow simmer for close to 1 hour. Add 2 cups of the kombu broth as soon as it is ready. Once the broth is done you can strain out all the vegetable/solids, return the broth to the pot.
For the Meat Version
1 Chicken Breast, skin on or a couple of good pieces of Pork Belly
For the Vegetarian Version
8 oz Tofu
1 TB Sesame Oil
2 TB Miso
1 cup Romanesco florets
2 cups washed and trimmed Spinach
1 cup rough chopped Savoy Cabbage
1 Carrot, diced
8 oz of Ramen Noodles
1 or 2 Eatwell Farm Onions, thinly sliced
1 or 2 Tokyo Turnips, peeled and very thinly sliced - use a peeler or even a grater
Add the romanesco and carrot to the broth and continue to simmer. If you are doing a meat version add sliced chicken breast or slices of pork belly to the broth and cook broth until the meat is done. If you are doing the vegetarian version add the miso to the broth. Then thinly slice the tofu. Heat the sesame oil in a fry pan and cook the tofu until golden. Once the romanesco and carrot are cooked to your preference, taste the broth and adjust seasoning. Add more soy sauce and or salt if needed. Add the cabbage and continue to simmer. Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. When the noodles are done drain and divide between 4 bowls. If using tofu, divide and put the tofu on top of the noodles. Divide spinach between the bowls then top with the broth. Top with the sliced onion and tokyo turnips.