Free Food Recipes

Ingredients

• 8 medium Chinese dried mushrooms
• 225 g (1/2 lb) spinach or spring cabbage
• 100 g (1/4 lb) bamboo shoots
• 1.35 kg (3 lb) belly of pork
• 1.75 liters (3 1/2 Pints) water
• 10 ml (2 teaspoons) salt
• 60 ml (4 tablespoons) dry sherry
• 675 g (1 1/2 lb) noodles or spaghetti

Serve 4-6

** Free Food Recipes **

Method:

1. Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes; strain them and discard the stalks. Cut the cabbage or spinach into medium-sized slices, and the bamboo shoots into thin slices.

2. Place the pork in the water in a large casserole. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a fast simmer for 20 minutes. Skim away any excess fat or impurities.

3. Place an asbestos mat under the casserole, and reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer to cook as slowly as possible for the next 3 hours.

4. Cut the pork into as many pieces as there will be diners, and put the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, spinach, salt and sherry into the casserole. Bring the contents to the boil, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.

5. Boil the noodles for 6 minutes, or if spaghetti for 15 minutes. Drain and divide into as many bowls as there are diners. Divide the pork and other ingredients proportionally into the same bowls.

6. Pour the soup from the casserole over the noodles and pork in the bowls.

Note: These filling soup and noodle casserole dishes make warming and satisfying winter fare.