Rather than using a soup pot set on the stove, Food and Wine's Grace Parisi uses a slow-cooker for her simple version of the Chinese beef noodle soup niu rou mein. Cooking the beef for several hours in a broth flavored with soy sauce, ginger, garlic and star anise infuses the meat with marvelous flavor and makes it unbelievably tender.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck in one piece
8 cups beef broth
4 cups water
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons very thinly sliced peeled ginger (4 ounces)
1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 star anise pod
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, caps only, thickly sliced
3 large scallions, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles or thick Japanese udon
Toasted sesame oil or hot chili oil, for serving
6 Servings - Active: 20min; Total: 4hr 45min
Steps
1. In a slow cooker, combine the meat with the broth, water, soy sauce, ginger, onion, garlic and star anise. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until the meat is tender. Transfer the meat to a plate and let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, pull the meat into thick shreds.
2. Strain the broth, discarding the solids. Return the broth to the cooker. Add the shiitakes, scallions and shredded meat. Cook on high for 15 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain well.
4. Add the noodles to the soup. Serve in deep bowls, passing the sesame or chili oil at the table.
* Burgundian Pinot Noir would be a great pairing for this mushroomy soup, because it offers earthy flavors, too. Consider the 2007 Domaine Pierre Morey Monthelie or the 2008 Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes Rouge from Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils.
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