Bliss bowl
Feeds: 4–6 | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 3 hours 15 minutes
‘Ben and I moved to Sydney’s inner west seven years ago, from Savannah, Georgia in the US. Since we arrived, our access to fresh produce has completely changed the way we think about food. In many ways our adventure started at Feather and Bone — the idea that what you put in your mouth should have a loving story that will carry over into the experience you share with your friends and family. This noodle bowl is a mesh of some of our favourite flavours from both our time here and abroad.’
– Ben and Reagan Waring, retail customers
Ingredients:
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) beef short ribs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
80 ml (2½ fl oz/ ⅓ cup) mirin
200 g (7 oz/¾ cup) white (shiro) miso noodles of your choice (we like soba or ramen noodles), to serve
Sesame oil, chilli oil and soy sauce, to taste
Toppings of your choice (we like enoki mushrooms and shredded cabbage)
Sesame seeds, coriander (cilantro) leaves and lime wedges, to serve
Quick pickled carrots
4 carrots, cut into julienne
2 teaspoons finely diced ginger
4 garlic cloves
1 small red chilli
250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) apple cider vinegar (or enough to cover the vegetables in a bowl)
1½ teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 120°C (235°F). Coat ribs with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large frying pan over medium–high heat, add ribs and sear them, turning, for 10 minutes or until nicely browned on all sides. Remove from heat.
Stir mirin and miso in a bowl to combine, brush all over ribs, then place in a roasting tin and roast for 3 hours or until beef is tender and falling away from the bone.
Meanwhile, to make the pickles, place carrot in a heatproof bowl. Combine remaining ingredients with 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Pour pickling liquid over the carrots and cool to room temperature. They’re ready to eat straight away, but will keep refrigerated in a clean jar for up to 2 weeks.
When ready to serve, cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente — they should still have elasticity. Drain, rinse under cold running water to stop them from cooking, drain again and toss with a little sesame oil to stop them sticking.
Divide noodles among bowls, toss with chilli oil and soy sauce to taste, add beef (Ben likes his short rib whole — I like mine sliced) and layer over toppings — you can layer the bowl with your favourite toppings or whatever you have to hand. Top with sesame seeds and coriander and serve with lime wedges.
Ben and Reagan’s beef short ribs with pickled carrots and noodles (p. 197) from The Ethical Omnivore by Laura Dalrymple and Grant Hilliard