Star Anise-Beef Soup

• 6 meaty pieces of beef shank, cut about 1 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, halved
• 1/2 pound fresh ginger, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch thick
• 3 star anise pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 5 pounds meaty oxtails
• 4 1/2 quarts water
• 3 large stalks of lemongrass, cut into 4-inch lengths
• 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 pound medium rice noodles
• 1 pound sirloin steak, cut 1 inch thick
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 pound baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
• 6 asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1/4 pound snow peas
• 1 pound bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup julienned peeled fresh ginger
• 6 scallions, julienned
• 6 mint sprigs
• 6 basil sprigs
• 6 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
• 6 lime wedges
• Soy sauce and Asian fish sauce

1. Cut the meat off the shank bones.
2. In a medium saucepan, cover the bones with water and bring to a boil.
3. Prepare a medium bowl of ice water.
4. Transfer the bones to the ice water to cool, then pat dry.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet.
6. Add the onions, cut side down, and cook over moderately high heat until blackened on the bottom, about 12 minutes; remove to a plate.
7. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet.
8. Spread the ginger slices in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat until blackened, about 12 minutes.
9. In a medium skillet, toast the star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves and crushed red pepper over moderate heat for 2 minutes, shaking the skillet.
10. In a large stockpot, cover the shank meat and oxtails with the water and bring to a boil.
11. Skim, then add the lemongrass, garlic, blackened onions and ginger and the toasted spices and simmer over moderately low heat, skimming occasionally, until the meats are tender, about 2 hours.
12. Strain the broth; refrigerate the broth and the meats separately overnight or for up to 2 days.
13. Discard the fat from the broth.
14. Bring the broth to a boil and keep hot.
15. Thinly slice the meats, discarding any bones.
16. In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in water until they are pliable, about 30 minutes.
17. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
18. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, blanch the bok choy, asparagus and snow peas separately until crisp-tender; remove the vegetables to a platter.
19. Add the shank bones to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes.
20. Drain and let cool slightly, then use a small spoon to scoop out the marrow.
21. Preheat a grill pan.
22. Season the sirloin with salt and pepper and cook over high heat until rare, about 2 minutes per side.
23. Transfer to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.
24. Thinly slice the sirloin.
25. Drain the rice noodles and add a handful to a long-handled strainer that will fit into the saucepan of boiling water.
26. Lower it into the water and cook the noodles until barely tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
27. Drain the noodles well and transfer them to a large soup bowl.
28. Add some of the shank and oxtail meats and cover with hot broth.
29. Add a piece of marrow and slices of sirloin and serve, allowing the diner to garnish the soup as desired.
30. Repeat for the remaining diners.

beef shank, vegetable oil, onions, ginger, anise pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, red pepper, oxtails, water, stalks of lemongrass, garlic, rice noodles, steak, salt, bok choy, lengths, snow peas, sprouts, fresh ginger, scallions, mint sprigs, basil, chiles, lime wedges, fish sauce

Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/star-anise-beef-soup (may not work)