Seafood Ramen

SHRIMP RAMEN

Steps:

• Put the bacon in a cold medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the saucepan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the shiitakes and cook, stirring, until browned, about 6 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, and Worcestershire and bring to a boil. Add the ramen and boil until tender, about 2 minutes.
• Remove the broth from the heat and stir in the shrimp. Let stand until the shrimp are cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve topped with the chives.

SEAFOOD RAMEN

Steps:

• For the soy base and seasoned eggs, in a large stock pot bring 1 litre/1¾ pints water to the boil. Add the bonito flakes and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the bonito flakes using a sieve.
• Add the rest of the ingredients, except the eggs, to the bonito stock. Bring to the boil then set aside to cool.
• Boil the eggs in a saucepan of boiling water for 6 minutes 20 seconds. When cooked, run the eggs under cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove the shells and add the eggs to the stock to marinate overnight.
• For the chicken stock, put all vegetables in a large stock pot with the chicken and 4 litres/7 pints water. Bring to boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours. Throughout cooking skim off any impurities and fat which rise to the surface, reserving the fat for the garnish. This should produce a clear chicken stock.
• For the salt base, bring 300ml/10fl oz water and the konbu to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the konbu and discard. Add bonito flakes and simmer for 10 minutes then remove the flakes using a sieve and discard. Add the remaining ingredients. When the sea salt has dissolved, turn off heat and set aside to cool. (You will make more salt base than you need.)
• For the garnish, season the squid and prawns with salt and pepper. Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook the squid for 1-2 minutes.
• Steam the prawns in a bamboo steamer for 4 minutes.
• Heat two litres of the chicken stock in a saucepan. Once boiling, add the clams and prawn shells. Discard any clams that do not open. After 2-3 minutes strain the stock through a rough sieve. Retain the clams and discard the prawn shells.
• Use a fine sieve lined with muslin to filter the stock back into a clean saucepan. Bring back to the boil.
• Bring a large pan of water to boil and cook the fresh noodles for 34 seconds and drain.
• To serve, put a tablespoon of the salt base into each bowl. Add 350ml/12fl oz of the chicken stock to each bowl. Add the cooked noodles, squid, prawns, clams, a seasoned egg, halved and some slices of spring onion. Drizzle with a little chicken fat and finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.