#EdenCooks - Beef Stew OR Pho Bo - Mon. Jan 16 at 8pm EST

Now put your pot in the refrigerator.

Overnight, any extra fat will form nice little solid blobs that you can throw away the next day. You should be able to pick up the fat you've got in your skimming bowl and throw that away too. If you were a peasant, you would probably save that and make candles out of it... but it smells gross to me, and I have electricity, so I toss it.

Now open up an EF package and have a nice night!

less

Now put your pot in the refrigerator.

Overnight, any extra fat will form nice little solid blobs that you can throw away the next day. You should be able to pick up the fat you've got in your skimming bowl and throw that away too. If you were a peasant, you would probably save that and make candles out of it... but it smells gross to me, and I have electricity, so I toss it.

Now open up an EF package and have a nice night!

less

Now the next day, you'll actually serve you pho.Thinly slice your beef and green onions and onions (to be soaked for 30 min) in advance. Arrange a few strainers---I use a big fruit strainer on top to catch bones, then a thin colander to catch fat globules, and finally a couple folds of cheese cloth to catch any little particles that fell off the bones. Strain your pot into a huge bowl to catch all the broth. Throw everything else away. Put the broth in an appropriate-sized pot, and bring it to a full rolling boil.Take your rice sticks and soak them in water, according to the package, to hydrate them. Boil some water and cook them according to the package, and then fill the bowls 1/4 full with noodles.Now put the thinly sliced beef and onions and green onions on top of the noodles. (You can add tripe or tendons or other meatballs or anything else you want, too. But rinse tripe if your'e going to use it, otherwise it will be bitter!) Pour the boiling pho broth on top, so the broth cooks the meat. Now serve the bowls, and put lots of Thai basil, lime wedges, and sliced bird's eye chilies on a plate on the side. Watching the meat cook before your eyes---where else but in fancy restaurants with flaming dishes, and in pho, right? less

Now the next day, you'll actually serve you pho.Thinly slice your beef and green onions and onions (to be soaked for 30 min) in advance. Arrange a few strainers---I use a big fruit strainer on top to catch bones, then a thin colander to catch fat globules, and finally a couple folds of cheese cloth to catch any little particles that fell off the bones. Strain your pot into a huge bowl to catch all the broth. Throw everything else away. Put the broth in an appropriate-sized pot, and bring it to a full rolling boil.Take your rice sticks and soak them in water, according to the package, to hydrate them. Boil some water and cook them according to the package, and then fill the bowls 1/4 full with noodles.Now put the thinly sliced beef and onions and green onions on top of the noodles. (You can add tripe or tendons or other meatballs or anything else you want, too. But rinse tripe if your'e going to use it, otherwise it will be bitter!) Pour the boiling pho broth on top, so the broth cooks the meat. Now serve the bowls, and put lots of Thai basil, lime wedges, and sliced bird's eye chilies on a plate on the side. Watching the meat cook before your eyes---where else but in fancy restaurants with flaming dishes, and in pho, right? less

Now back to the stew---as it simmers all day, the meat will slowly offer up its flavor to the broth. When you're about 10 minutes away from being hungry, get ready to start thickening it. Take the drippings you left in the pan and heat them up again.


and add about an equal amount of flour. I used 3 tablespoons from having cooked a pound of meat.



Stir this to a paste over heat (so you cook out the pasty flavor of the flour and give it a nice nutty taste.

Ladle some broth into a separate bowl



and add your flour paste. Get it all nice and mashed up so it's not lumpy.



Now add your thickening paste back into the stew.



Now enjoy!




Which of these steps do you think will be the hardest for you?
less

Now back to the stew---as it simmers all day, the meat will slowly offer up its flavor to the broth. When you're about 10 minutes away from being hungry, get ready to start thickening it. Take the drippings you left in the pan and heat them up again.


and add about an equal amount of flour. I used 3 tablespoons from having cooked a pound of meat.



Stir this to a paste over heat (so you cook out the pasty flavor of the flour and give it a nice nutty taste.

Ladle some broth into a separate bowl



and add your flour paste. Get it all nice and mashed up so it's not lumpy.



Now add your thickening paste back into the stew.



Now enjoy!




Which of these steps do you think will be the hardest for you?
less

caraway:


fennel:


That picture is super-enlarged, though, the ridges are kinda hard to see.

The basic difference is one tastes like Italian seasoning, and the other tastes like far-away licorice. less

I know, right? Aah, trivia time! I almost forgot to check the clock!




Woohoo! Two delicious, body-warming soups in one little Eden Cooks meeting!

So now for our not-so-standard trivia. I will ask the first question, and the winner will get a $25 gift card generously donated by EdenFantasys.

Let me know when you're ready!
less

I know, right? Aah, trivia time! I almost forgot to check the clock!




Woohoo! Two delicious, body-warming soups in one little Eden Cooks meeting!

So now for our not-so-standard trivia. I will ask the first question, and the winner will get a $25 gift card generously donated by EdenFantasys.

Let me know when you're ready!
less