This doesn’t look like much, admittedly, but the flavors were stellar. I made a simple broth from the BBQ pork bones we saved from Saturday’s dinner, simmering them for about three hours with onion, celery, carrot, ginger, fennel, anise, clove, garlic, and lemongrass. Then I strained it and ladled it into bowls of silky udon to which I added a spoon of soy-braised burdock and a big heap of kimchi from the jar.
The result was a transparent, weightless broth bearing the full aromatic wallop of slow-smoked pork ribs, plus the added complexity of the Asian flavors, enriched with earthy burdock and bright crunch, tang, and spice of the just-warm kimchi. Some cilantro or scallion would have made a nice garnish, as would a sliced jalapeño, but we didn’t have any of those. What we did have was a big bottle of local Belgian-style ale, which was on balance preferable to a bunch of greenery anyway.
Sweet, I’m first.
I looooooove this one. That broth sounds pretty much like heaven, and udon and cabbage make me happy. So simple, but so good.
I’ll take beer over greens anytime. Also, cabbage is a vegetable, and a cruciferous one at that, so I don’t know why you’d really need anything else.
I used the last of my braised pork last night (with guasanas y calabacitas!), but like a damn fool, I tossed the bones. Luckily, I still have like, 30 lbs in my freezer.
“What we did have was a big bottle of local Belgian-style ale, which was on balance preferable to a bunch of greenery anyway.”
Hear hear!!
Hey, do you know what, if any, miraculous nutritive powers that things like sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchee offer? I’m curious, because I eat the fuck out of that stuff basically all the time.
I agree with Heather. Veg is covered.
Drink up.
This looks so cozy, by the way.
Brooke: There’s not much better than a bog ol’ bowl of noodle love on a cold night.
Blanche: I was thinking more from a visual and flavor overtone point of view: the garnish.
Jo: Huzzah!
Kristie: Check out “Wild Fermentation” by Sandor Katz.
Brittany: There’s something about udon in good broth.