Vietnamese Seafood Pho (Soup) Recipe

Vietnamese Seafood Pho ** (prep. time 20 minutes if using pre-made seafood stock. Serves 8-10)

1/2 lb. uncooked, peeled shrimp

¼ lb. scallops

½ lb. haddock fillet

2 C. clam meat, fresh or canned* (if steaming fresh clams, used the broth as your seafood base)

1 bottle clam juice and 2 C. seafood stock (if not using fresh stock)

2 ribs celery, sliced

1 large carrot, sliced

½ onion sliced

1 C. sliced baby portabella mushrooms

½ C. sliced bok choy

1 C. snow pea halves

salt & pepper

Optional toppings: thinly sliced ginger, diced chives, bean sprouts, edame, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, Thai chili paste, soy sauce, crumbled nori (seaweed)

2 Tb. olive oil

½ pkg. rice flour vermincelli (traditional) You could also use Udon or Sodon noodles

Heat oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or large stock pan. Saute celery, onion and carrots.  When tender, add half the mushrooms and half the snow peas, saving the other half for topping when serving.  If you've making your own stock, pour in about 2 cups water, add the seafood, including clean clams in the shell now, but keep out the shrimp that will go in at the very end. Once the clams open, you can remove them, let them cool, remove the meat and add it back to the stock along with the shrimp and simmer until the shrimp just turn pink and remove from heat. You can use other seafood if you like, for example: calamari (squid) or octopus if you are feeling adventurous.Check for seasonings & adjust with salt, pepper and soy sauce. You could also add some cilantro (Chinese parsley and oregano).

In a separate sauce pan, boil enough water to cover the rice noodles.  Cook noodles until just tender (they cook quickly). Do not cook the noodles in Pho broth, especially clear stocks like chicken or beef since it will cloud the broth.  Add a little oil to a sauté pan, and lightly cook the reserved snow peas and mushrooms and stir in the bok choy, stirring over medium high heat until the snow peas are tender and bok choy slightly wilted.

In individual bowls, twirl the lightly drained rice noodles into a heap in the middle.  Spoon the seafood stock around the outside and start piling the seafood up the sides of the noodle hill.  Top with the sauted vegetables.  Put the optional toppings out in individual bowls for diners to customize their Pho.

Eat the noodles and large pieces of seafood and vegetables with chop sticks and either slurp the soup right out of the bowl (normal in many Asian cultures) or use a spoon.

** Real Vietnamese Pho combines the traditional blend of sweet, salty, spicy and tart.  Most call for rice vinegar, a traditional raw brown sugar and chili sauce. 

Thanks to Down to Earth Whole Foods on Grant Ave. in Endicott for sponsoring Foodie Fridays.  See them for fresh produce, skin and hair products and supplements. It’s apple season and Down to Earth has been getting supplies of locally sourced, fresh apples in! Don’t forget to sample the homemade treats at the café.