Gingered Beef Broth With Soba Noodles

This recipe has been adapted from the original one published in Williams- Sonoma's Soup of the Day. It caught my eye since I had been gifted with a very large quantity of soba noodles and was looking for a way to put a dent in my supply.  The fact that this soup is very easy to make is an added bonus.


The original recipe calls for the addition of bok choy into the broth.  In typical Albanian fashion I had spotted some earlier this week in one of the local grocery stores.  Upon my return, however, not only was there no bok choy to be had but no one in the store even knew what bok choy was.  (Such is life and grocery shopping in Albania).  The store did have Chinese or Napa cabbage so I used that as a substitute.

GINGERED BEEF BROTH WITH SOBA NOODLES

2 green onions

3 cups beef broth

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large clove garlic, crushed

Salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 Chinese cabbage, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/4 lb thinly sliced white mushrooms

5 oz soba noodles

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Sriracha sauce for serving (optional)

1)  Thinly slice the green onions, reserving the white and pale green parts in one bowl and the dark

     green parts in a separate bowl.

Aromatics

2)  In a large, heavy pot, combine the broth, 3 cups water, the ginger, garlic, and the white and pale

     green parts of the onion.  

3)  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Strain

     the liquid, discarding the solids, and return the broth to the pot.

Broth a steeping

4)  Season with salt and pepper and keep warm over low heat.

5)  In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.  Add the Chinese cabbage and mushrooms

     and saute, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to caramelize and soften, about 6 minutes.

     Set aside.

A double dose of veggies

6)  Return the broth to a boil and add the soba noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.  Add

     the Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, and soy sauce an stir to combine.

7)  Serve, garnished with the dark green onion slices.  Pass the hot sauce at the table, if using.