I had big plans today. Big. I was going to try out stove top smoking. I called like 4 stores before finding one that carried hickory wood smoking chips. I got my wok and steamer basket and foil out. And then proceeded to see if dried red chili peppers would do the trick instead. I still haven’t recovered. My nose is completely stuffed, my eyes water and my throat a little dry.
There was no way I was going out to get those wood chips after all that. That project has been postponed for another day.
So what was I trying to smoke? Well my original plan was to smoke shiitake mushrooms like this but add them to a soup that was more like this. Then I thought, OH! I’ll smoke the tomatoes instead! When that all fell through, I went with a charred tomato, shallot and garlic broth with the help of Organic Gourmet Organic Vegetable Boullion
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 small shallots sliced
4 garlic cloved smashed
1/2 pound sugar plum or other little tomatoes sliced in half
1 tablespoon fermented soy bean
1/2 pound mushrooms (I used shiitake and oyster)
2 cubes Organic Gourmet Organic Vegetable Boullion
4-5 cups water
1/8 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
Fresh thin pho noodles (banh pho tuoi)
Green onions chopped
Cilantro chopped
- Heat oil in a sauce plan and add the shallots and garlic. Saute until soft and browned.
- Meanwhile heat up a cast iron skillet and throw in the tomatoes. Don’t stir them for a while so that one side gets a little charred. Add to the sauce pan.
- Next add the fermented soy beans and mash them with the tomatoes. Then add the mushrooms and bouillon and cook until the mushrooms start to get tender.
- Throw in the water and cook to let all the flavors meld.
- In a nice sized bowl, add your desired amount of fresh pho noodles. Make sure the soup is boiling, then pour over the noodles. Top with green onions, cilantro, and add a squeeze of lime.