Beef Ramen

If there is anything as cozy and satisfying as savoring a bowl of homemade beef ramen on a wet and windy Saturday night, it's eating the leftovers during a Sunday thunderstorm. 

Okay, fine, fall. I wish you would give me a few more weeks of gorging myself on fresh peaches and grilled shish kebab, but despite my annual outburst of kicking and screaming, I know that you will not go away. 

So I gracefully admit defeat. We will do this your way.

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Soups and stews get me through the dark and gloomy months, and this bowl of veggies and beefy broth provides the bright flavors that I crave.

Based on a recipe by my friend, Danelle, over at Let's Dish, my version of this faux-pho often mix in different vegetables. But this time I followed the ingredient list exactly and every bite was sublime.

Although Danelle's recipe is designed for a slow cooker, I make mine in a big red pot on my stove top and have adapted her technique below. 

For chilly nights and seasonal temper tantrums, I highly recommend. 

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Ingredients:

2T olive oil

2 lbs beef

8 C beef broth

1 onion, diced

4-6 garlic, minced

1 T minced fresh ginger

8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/4 C soy sauce (I use low sodium)

1 T fish sauce

1 T sesame oil

8 oz snow peas

1 T lime juice

4-6 green onions, chopped

3 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning)

1 T olive oil

fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat the oil and brown the beef, working in small batches if needed. 

2. Add the beef broth, onion, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer for an hour or so.

3. Stir in the peas, lime juice, and green onions; simmer another 15-20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. Drain and stir in olive oil to prevent sticking.

5. To serve, place noodles in a bowl and ladle the soup over the top. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy with chopsticks and slurp to your heart's content.