Back to Bourdain

As parasocial relationships are all the rage these days, let me take you back to my buddy Bourdain (!) for the low-down on one of his favourite foods, and mine, pho.

Before we start talking pho though, let's talk about how to properly pronounce it.

Fuh.

That's right. You heard me. Or maybe you didn't.

Now that we're on the same page, linguistically speaking at the very least, let's get our pho on and find out what it is that makes Tony and I cuckoo for cocoa puffs.  

 "Early warning sings of great things to come: I got my lime... chunks, got my chili paste, tissue box, very important... this is where the food porn really is, okay?"  

Well okay then Anthony... glad to hear you're "quivering with desire."

Ahem. 

"A textural Disneyland" indeed!

While I may not be able to go on a tour of Vietnam to find the best pho I can do the next best thing and go on a tour of Gatineau and Ottawa to try and find the same.

Or not.

While I had some decent pho in Ottawa at Cafe Indochine, in the Byward Market, and some very quite good pho at Pho Bo Ga 777 in Gatineau, the best pho I've had in the Outaouais was actually at yours truly's. 

This time I know you heard me!

While my version of pho is far from traditional (for starters, I use linguini instead of rice vermicelli) it is very close to deee-luscious.

I start by warming a little chopped onion and garlic on canola oil before adding equal quantities of organic chicken and beef broth. Next, I add a couple of star anise as well as the 4 C's (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and coriander) and some fennel, sugar, salt and pepper. 

Once the broth has come to a boil and simmered for as long as you can handle it (the smell is beguiling!) prepare a big bowl with cooked noodles (linguini in my case) and raw, thinly sliced beef. 

Add piping hot broth and stir.

On a side plate, prepare some chunks of lime, Thai basil (the smell is also beguiling) and bean sprouts. Dress your bowl with a little of each and add as much chili paste (Sriracha in my case) as you can handle.

Now you understand why the tissue box is so important.

While I absolutely love traditional pho, and would kill for jump for the opportunity to try it in its native homeland, I can't actually recreate it at home. 

So instead of recreating it, I've reinvented it.

Let me know what you think Anthony! 

PS. For Bourdain's take on Quebec cuisine, scroll down here and check out what he has to say about being food%#&@ed (ahem) by chefs Martin Picard, David McMillan and Frederic Morin... food porn indeed!