UDON WITH WAKAME AND BEEF BONE BROTH

A warm udon recipe featuring nutritious wakame seagrass and grass-fed beef bone broth. Seagrass and broth support kidney functions and replenish the body with vital energy, according to traditional Chinese medicine. Thanks to our local seagrass growers, we are now able to turn a 'weed' into delicious food. Can you believe it?

serves 4

2 Yokey Dokey size XL eggs

500ml Torello Farm grass-fed beef bone broth

1 tablespoon tamari or soy

1 teaspoon mirin /sake

dashi (1 cup)

800g udon noodles

6g (1/2 cup) Southern Seagreens dried wakame, leave whole or crush between fingers

4 spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths

100g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, tops sliced

1 bunch Bok Choy or Chinese broccoli, leaves sliced lengthways ways about 1cm wide

150ml Dashi (made from powder mix), or water

shichimi togarashi (seven spice mix), or use black pepper

Crush the wakame between your fingers. Soak in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes to soften and rehydrate. Drain and reserve 2 tablespoons of water.

Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Carefully lower the eggs into the water and boil for 6 minutes for a soft boiled egg. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl under cold running water until completely cool. Peel and set aside.

Add the beef broth, soy, mirin, reserved wakame water and dashi or 150ml water, in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a high simmer. Add the shiitake and cook for a minute.  Remove shiitake with slotted spoon and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of boiling salted water to the boil and cook the noodles according to packet instructions (about 3 minutes if using vacuum sealed noodles). Drain well. Divide the noodles between four warmed bowls.

Place bok choy in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Leave for 3 minutes and drain.

Arrange the shiitake, spring onion, bok choy leaves and soaked wakame separately on top of the noodles. Pour the soy beef broth over the noodles and top with half an egg. Place the wakame pieces to the side of bowl, or if using crushed sprinkle over the top. Sprinkle over shicimi togarashi if using, or grind over black pepper. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Fiona Hammond, April 2023