Bone broth is ‘very now’ and its purported benefits are varied and many! I just like it because it tastes yummy and when I’ve overindulged, this is the best thing for me!
Recently my dear friend Sia told me how much she loves Vietnamese raw beef soup (Pho Tai). I had some bone broth in the freezer and I thought, why don’t I reinvent and augment it into a restorative lunch. We like to drink a bit of wine when we get together and this is the perfect antidote (luckily for me she lives in Melbourne, otherwise my liver would be a little sorer!).
This is recipe is a two parter. Once you have made the broth the second part takes no time at all. It’s great to have a good amount of the broth in the freezer so you can enjoy it whenever you so desire.
1. Marrow bone broth
Ingredients
Don’t worry too much about amounts and measurements – it’s hard to get this wrong…
Marrow bones (I get mine from Mondo’s, but most weekend farmers markets will be able to provide you with beef bones of some description).
Roast your bones for around 30 – 40 minutes in a 190 degree oven. This helps with flavour and stops it from ‘stinking’ the whole house out!
Roughly chop any veggies you like – mine vary according to what’s in season
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Turnip
- Parsnip
- Potato/sweet potato
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar – super important
- Himalayan sea salt
Herbs and spice you might like to use:
- Parsley
- Peppercorns,
- Juniper berries
- Rosemary
- Thyme
Put all your ingredients, including the bones, into a very large pot and cover with water. Cook for as long as you like – ideally 8 – 12 hours, but you will get a fine stock from 4 hours if that’s all you can manage.
When the broth has cooled and before straining place it in the fridge overnight to let the fats from the broth solidify then remove with a spoon.
Once you are ready, remove all the bits from the broth. I strain mine through a muslin cloth to remove impurities. If I am fasting – I will keep some of the vegetables to add a little more sustenance to my day.
If you are just going to have bone broth as a daily drink, I highly recommend adding a desert spoon of apple cider vinegar to it once it’s heated. YUM!
2. Marnie’s take on Pho Tai
I hope I don’t offend any purists out there but this was a ‘cracking’ success! I am a bit vague on measurements as it may change from batch to batch.
Serves 2
- 750mL – 1 litre of your bone broth
To this add
- 2-3 Star Anise
- 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- A good splash of fish sauce
- Juice of 1-2 limes (or lemon)
- 1-2 red or green chillis (depending on your spiciness!)
- 1-2 teaspoons of coconut sugar
Vietnamese and Thai cooking is all about balance of flavours – salty, sweet, sour and hot.
Bring to the boil, taste and adjust to your liking.
To each bowl add, in this order:
- Rice noodles. Prepare according to instructions on the packet.
- Quarter of red onion roughly sliced
- Half a thinly sliced piece of steak – I used whatever was on special!
Share the boiling broth between the two bowls (the heat from it will cook your steak).
Serve with:
- Sprouts
- Fresh mint
- Lime
- Extra chilli if your palate desires
Chúc ngon miệng (that’s Vietnamese for Bon Appetit).
To your astonishingly good health,
Marnie