Quick beef noodle bowl with shiitake mushrooms recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tsp (10 ml) coconut or avocado oil
• ½ onion
• 4-inch (10-cm) piece peeled ginger root
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole dried cloves
• 8 cups (1.9 liters) Beef Broth
• ½ oz (15 g) dried shiitake mushrooms
• 4 zucchini
• 1 lb (454 g) beef sirloin
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) gluten-free fish sauce

• ½ onion
• 2 limes
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Fresh basil leaves
• Fresh mint leaves
• Green onions

1. In a saucepan, heat the oil over low-medium and add the onion half, cut-side down. Cut the ginger into slices and add to the pan. Peel the garlic and lightly smash the cloves with the back of a knife, then add those to the pan, too. Cook until the ginger and garlic are softened, about 5 minutes, then add the cinnamon stick and cloves. Pour in the beef broth and turn the heat up, bringing to a simmer. Keep at a simmer for 30 minutes to infuse the broth with flavor.
2. While the broth is infusing, soak the shiitake mushrooms in just enough hot water to cover them. Peel the zucchini, then use a mandoline, spiralizer or julienne peeler to make long strips of zucchini to act as “noodles.” Reserve those in the fridge for later. Slice the beef thinly against the grain and pop the sliced beef in the fridge, too. Thinly slice the onion, quarter the limes and roughtly chop the cilantro, basil, mint and green onions. Set out the garnishes in bowls or on a platter for people to choose their own soup toppings.
3. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and cloves from the broth and discard. Add the mushrooms along with the soaking liquid, as well as the fish sauce to the still-simmering broth. Divide the zucchini “noodles” and thinly sliced beef between 4 bowls and ladle the hot broth over the top—the beef will cook through in the broth. Allow everybody to top their “noodle” bowls as they wish before serving.