Five Spice Asian Beef Noodle Soup

Soup weather has arrived, and boy have I had a craving for a good Asian Beef Noodle Soup.  This recipe hit the spot!  Asian dishes are warm and satisfying during the colder months…maybe its the spices, or the noodles, or both.  This soup has a broth base, but its packed with beef, vegetables, and noodles.  So much so that you can eat it with a fork…then slurp the rest.  Hearty and delicious, it pulls together very quickly, and tastes even better the next day.

Five Spice Asian Beef Noodle Soup

(Cooking time 20 minutes, Serves 6-8)

• 8 ounces boneless beef sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 8 cups beef stock
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar (rounds out the flavors)
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce, or to taste (optional)
• 2 cups rice vermicelli, broken into 3-inch pieces
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 2 cups napa cabbage or 2 cups bok choy, shredded
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil

Directions:

• Cut beef into very thin strips. In a bowl, combine beef with soy sauce, sriracha sauce, five spice powder and brown sugar.
• In a large saucepan over high heat, bring stock, ginger and garlic to a boil. Add vermicelli; boil for 2 minutes or until softened. Add beef, carrots and cabbage.
• Return to a boil; cook for another 2 minutes. Add bean sprouts and cook for 1 minute or until heated through.
• Stir in sesame oil.
• Ladle into bowls; garnish with cilantro and chopped green onions.

Variations

Chicken, Pork, Beef, Seafood or Tofu?  Use any meat or vegetarian protein you want for this. Just use a stock/broth that matches your protein – chicken, beef, vegetable, fish?

Just Veggin’.  Like I said, this soup is packed with veggies – but don’t limit yourself to what’s listed above.  How about adding some water chestnuts, mushrooms, seaweed, green beans, julienned daikon radish, bamboo shoots, spinach, snow peas, or other types of cabbage?

Noodles or Rice?  So many different noodles to choose from…ramen noodles, angel hair or vermicelli pasta, or other types of rice noodles – thick, thin, long, short.  Or what about rice?  Who says it has to be a noodle soup?  Add a cup or two of rice and let it simmer, lid on for about 45 minutes.   Or cook up some rice and ladle the soup over top.  You could add some chinese pork or vegetable dumplings too the soup as an alternative to noodles.

Egg Drop anyone?   Beat an egg then drop it in and stir into the hot soup just before serving for an egg drop soup.

Spice it up.  Add more heat with some thai chilies, more sriracha sauce, red pepper flakes, or your favorite ginger habanero hot sauce.

Next time you crave some asian comfort food, throw together your own version of this healthy, hearty, satisfying soup.  No matter how you make it, this soup will be enjoyed all week.  It’s great comfort food that lends itself well to endless interpretation.

The best surprises come from happy accidents! 

Italian Baked Tomato, Corn and Cheese Tortellini

Another garden fresh recipe that we only seem to make when the cherry tomatoes begin to ripen.  Our Italian Baked Tomato and Corn Cheese Tortellini is fresh, simple, delicious and satisfying.  It’s perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner; meatless mondays; vegetarian visitors (assuming they eat cheese); or just a nice easy meal for two paired with a high end beverage (we like beer) and a fresh side salad.  As with most pasta dishes, the leftovers are just as good the next day, and of course fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic make all the difference.

Italian Baked Tomato, Corn and Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 4-6 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups cheese tortellini, cooked and drained
• 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved longways
• 2/3 cup canned corn (we like Del Monte’s Summer Crisp)
• 3/4 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the basil, garlic, olive oil and salt.
• Add the tortellini, tomatoes, corn and half of the cheese.  Gently toss everything together.
• Pour the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top.
• Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is browned.

Serves 4-6.

Variations

More veggies please. You can go crazy with the veggies in this dish. Sauteed mushrooms, roasted zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, asparagus, artichoke hearts, black olives, sun dried tomatoes, peas, and the list goes on and on. You can even add tomato sauce, top with cheese and bake it like a lasagna.

Cheesing it up. Swapping cheeses is a great way to add some really interesting flavors to this dish. Try salty feta, earthy goat cheese, smoked mozzerella, parmesan, gruyere, asiago, monterey jack, colby, or swiss.

Meatless no more. Add some heartiness with chopped or cubed ham, shredded chicken, ground italian sausage or lamb, kielbasa, or chorizo. Or lighten it up with fresh shrimp, clams, calamari, bay scallops, or even anchovies.

Feeling herbaceous? Add chopped chives, fresh flat leaf parsley, oregano, tarragon, or some different types of basil. Or how about mint leaves with ground lamb and sauteed eggplant?

Don’t like tortellini?  Try penne, rigatoni, rotini, fusili, gnocchi, or other types of pasta or dumplings.

Just keep a bag of frozen tortellini around, and throw this recipe or a variation of this recipe together with whatever you have in the fridge or cupboards.  It’s a great simple tasty dinner in a snap.

The best surprises come from happy accidents!