Garnish Plate For Pho Recipes

VIETNAMESE BEEF PHO

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.
• Arrange bean sprouts, mint, basil, and cilantro on a platter with chilies and lime.
• Soak the noodles in hot water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place equal portions of noodles into 6 large soup bowls, and place raw beef on top. Ladle hot broth over noodles and beef. Pass platter with garnishes and sauces.

GARNISH PLATE FOR PHO

Steps:

• If you're blanching the bean sprouts, work it into the pho assembly process and use the pot set up for dunking noodles; the noodle strainer is perfect for the job. Blanch them before starting on the noodles to avoid giving them a starch bath, and put them on their own plate so they don't leak water on other garnishes. Otherwise, arrange the raw sprouts with the herbs and lime on a communal plate.
• If the chile is small, cut it at a sharp angle to yield largish slices that can be easily identified in the bowl. Put the slices in a little dish so they don't get lost. Before bowl assembly, set the garnishes at the table with any other sides and condiments so you can dive in immediately.

BEEF PHO

Steps:

• Tie up the stewing beef nicely.
• Put all the meats for the stock into a pan together with the fat, the sliced onion, star aniseed, cinnamon stick and ginger.
• Roast in a hot oven for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is well browned.
• Move everything to a large pot.
• Cover with water and bring to a boil.
• Skim.
• Add coriander seeds and white pepper.
• Let simmer for at least three hours.
• Take up the stewing beef and let cool, then slice thinly.
• Strain the stock.
• If made one day in advance; keep cool and remove the fat on the second day.
• Prepare the garnish: Slice the (raw) fillet of beef thinly (as for Carpaccio).
• Boil the noodles according to instructions on the package, then drain and rinse with cold water.
• Arrange the garnish (not the noodles; see below!) nicely on a big plate.
• Bring the stock to a boil, add fish sauce to taste.
• When serving, put noodles and stewing meat either into a large serving bowl, or into individual soup bowls.
• Add stock and heat to boiling point (possibly in a micro-owen).
• Serve devilishly hot.
• The guests put the garnish into their soup and the raw meat will be partially cooked from the heat of the stock.