Pho Ga: Vietnamese Chicken Soup

Vietnamese sisters, Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, along with their mother, Mama Suu have the corner on great Vietnamese food in Chicago. Not only do they own the highly acclaimed restaurant at 567 W Lake but they started out in a space at the Chicago French Market and remain a main-stay at the growing market where Lillie's-Q hung out a sign this past week.

I always welcome the goodies they pile high on me to take home and try… like this new Vietnamese cookbook by Charles Phan, chef-owner of The Slanted Door restaurants in San Francisco.

Vietnamese Home Cooking is a beautifully photographed journal of Vietnam and its food and has at least a half a dozen recipes that I am anxious to try. 

In fact, Vietnamese cooking is one of my all time favorites.I love the crispy texture of both the meat and the egg rolls.

Why Vietnam? The cinematography in the 1992 movie The Lover placed Vietnam high on my list of places to go and after seeing this cookbook, I am ready for a trip.

In this recipe for Chicken Soup, Phan makes the chicken for his pho in a most unusual way. He simmers it for 15 minutes, lets it sit covered for 15 minutes, then gives it an ice bath for 15 minutes.

Vietnamese soup is a feast for the eyes and well as the taste buds. Everything is beautifully laid out in a bowl and then the hot liquid is ladled on so as not to disturb the symmetry of the dish.

I cooked this today when I felt a little under the weather and the temperature was teetering around zero.

Do I think that chicken soup is the best medicine there is? Try this recipe and I guarantee you’ll feel back on the path to health and ready for another bowl before you even get a chance to finish your first one.

Don’t skip the crispy fried shallots as the garnish. They are really addicting and rumor has it that’s where the medicinal healing power is hidden.

Bon Appetit!

4 quarts water

1 bunch scallions, dark green cut off for soup, white and light green thinly sliced for garnish

2 pieces fresh ginger, whole and crushed

1 Tablespoon salt

4 chicken breast halves on the bone

3 ½ Pounds wings, backs and necks

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 Package (16 ounces) dried rice vermicelli, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and drained

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bunch fresh basil (Thai if you can find it)

3 cups Mung Bean Sprouts

1 lime cut into 6 wedges

1 jalapeno, stemmed and thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons fish sauce

Chili garlic sauce, such as sriracha

Crispy fried shallots

In a soup pot, bring the water, scallions, ginger, and salt to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and return to a boil. Skim well. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Turn the burner off, cover the pan, and let the chicken sit for 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a bowl of ice water. Let it sit for 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, put the chicken wings, backs, and necks into a large heatproof bowl. Bring a tea kettle of water to a boil and pour it over the chicken pieces. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Drain the chicken and rinse with cold water.

Add the chicken pieces to the pot with the brown sugar. Return the liquid to a boil. Skim the surface thoroughly. Cook, skimming often, for 1½ hours. With a large slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces, ginger, and scallions (if you used chicken wings, remove the meat from the bones and use in another dish).

Drain the chicken breasts, pat them dry, and discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat with your hands. Add it to the pot of chicken stock with the noodles. Add a small handful of scallions and half the cilantro. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with Thai basil, sprouts, lime, jalapeno, fish sauce, and chili-garlic sauce. Top with fried shallots.

Crispy Fried Shallots

2 cups canola oil

2 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 4 large)

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high until it registers 275 degrees. 

Add shallots and cook, stirring, until light brown brown, about 8 minutes. 

Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to a paper towel-lined plate. 

Shallots will keep in an airtight container for 1 day, but they're best the day of. 

Strained, the oil will keep, refrigerated, for several weeks.

Brown Sugar Banana Maple Parfaits

This was adapted from a recipe in this month’s issue of Bon Appetit featuring Sweet Comforts. It’s a different take on my favorite dessert, Bananas Foster.

I added a little bit of caramel to the mix. Make sure that you use good caramel sauce.   I made mine.

If you already have your grill fired up, you can also make this recipe on top of your grill for a nice departure in flavor.

Liquor? Most recipes call for rum or brandy. I liked this with whiskey. I’ve also made it with a dash of Patron Citronge.

Bon Appetit!

1 cup pecan halves

1/4cup pure maple syrup

Kosher salt to taste

3/4cup rye whiskey

1/2cup brown sugar

3tablespoonssugar

3tablespoonsunsalted butter

6 Bananas, peeled, cut on a diagonal into 1/4-inch slices

1 pint Vanilla ice cream

Good caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Toss pecans, maple syrup, and salt on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and spread out in a single layer. Bake until maple syrup is caramelized and pecans are toasted 13 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet and coarsely chop the pecans.

Bring whiskey, the sugars and butter to a boil in a large skillet. Careful not to ignite the mixture by moving the pan.

Cook over medium heat and simmer until sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. 

Add bananas and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. 

Remove from heat and let mixture cool completely in skillet. 

Layer bananas, sauce, caramel, pecans, and ice cream in small mason jars.

Cooking for One: Baked Eggs Caprese

After looking at the cookbook Mini-Cocotte, I decided to try this recipe in my new, little Le Creuset pot. 

This was not a recipe from the cookbook but it looked like a good one to try and had very simple ingredients. Nothing is easier for breakfast than baked eggs.

This was really delicious – one that I would definitely make again - and a great recipe to serve up for a winter brunch. 

There are a lot of great recipes in this cookbook including Chicken Pot Pies, Scrambled Eggs and Chocolate Cocottes. I plan to try them all.

I like sharing meals with others, but with living alone I am eating alone at some time or other. 

Love the fact that Le Creuset has made it so easy to cook an interesting and delicious meal just for one.

Bon Appetit!

1 egg

1 slice of ham

3 cherry tomatoes

1 slice of white mozzarella cheese

fresh chopped basil

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375F and prepare small oven safe dish. 

Place slice of ham at the bottom of your dish. Cut tomatoes in halves and place on the ham. 

Cover it with white mozzarella slices. 

Sprinkle fresh basil on top and finally carefully crack the egg. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake for 25 minutes or until egg is cooked. I did not bake mine with the lid on but may try it next time.

Serve immediately with bread.

Berry Sorbet

I remember how good pastry chef Nancy Silver’s sorbet’s were when I had them at Green City Market and yes, I tried them all.

Silver, who trained at Trotter’s, Blackbird, and Bistro Campagne loves seasonality and sustainability. She uses Nichols Farm fruits to create some if the delicious flavors that you stood in line for last summer.

I’m going to experiment a little because I think I’m on to something here.

Bon Appetit!

Berry Sorbet

4 cups (1 1/4 pounds) blackberries or blueberries

1 cup Simple Syrup

Puree berries and 1/3 cup water in a blender. Pour through a coarse sieve into a bowl. If using blueberries, strain again, through a fine sieve. (You should have 2 cups.)

Stir in simple syrup.

Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, about 25 minutes.

Transfer sorbet to an airtight container, and freeze until it hardens.