New Year Noodles

The days between Christmas and New Year went by in a flurry. As our family came to visit, meals were mostly eaten out, stuck between various other agendas. Breakfasts were late and rushed, my coffee beans untouched, threatening to go stale.

Eating well, I realized, requires some effort. Time and commitment. While it is sometimes nice to sit down at a restaurant to be fussed over, asked if more water is needed and leave with just clearing the bill, the satisfaction gained from good food from one's own kitchen, no matter how simple, is quite different. Quite rewarding, almost unprecedented. Dirty dishes, hot stove and soiled kitchen cloths notwithstanding.

And so we spent our first 2013 dinner for two over hot soup flavored with roast trimmings, leftover Christmas gammon, a wayward cracked egg discovered on New Year's Eve and our favorite egg noodles. Here's to a year of eating better.

New Year Noodles

Serves 2.

• 6 cups chicken stock
• reserved bones, rind or other trimmings from any roast stuck in the deep end of your freezer
• 2 portions of any leftover Christmas roast (we had ham)
• 1 head bok choy (or any greens you happen to have in your produce box), cleaned and cut
• 2 portions dry egg noodles (or any noodles of your choice)
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 tablespoons ginger scallion sauce
• freshly ground white pepper
• some chopped garlic chives or scallions to garnish

In a medium pot, bring stock and bones/roast trimmings to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes - if your stock is low sodium, adjust the seasoning accordingly. Strain and set aside. Meanwhile, blanch the greens of your choice for a couple of minutes in a pot of salted boiling water, then remove to an ice bath to stop cooking. Strain and set aside. Cook the noodles accordingly - my egg noodles take 2 minutes in boiling water. Portion the noodles into serving bowls.

In a small pan, fry the eggs to your liking (or soft boil them - I had to use up one cracked egg, hence the frying). Bring back prepared stock to a boil. Meanwhile, arrange the meat and vegetables in the bowls. Top with eggs and spoon over the ginger scallion sauce. Pour over hot stock to cover noodles, add cracked pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions, serve hot.