Cheater's Ramen with Country Ham, Parmesan and Egg

Making restaurant-style ramen takes days. A quick cheat is to add instant ramen noodles to chicken broth enriched with smoky country ham. Chef Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, Kentucky, likes springy Neoguri noodles, a type of Korean instant ramen that can be found at Asian markets. Slideshow:  More Pork RecipesRecipe from Food & Wine Chefs' Easy Weeknight Dinners

Cheater’s Ramen with Country Ham, Parmesan and Egg
Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Yield:
4
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

BROTH

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 3 ounces country ham, prosciutto or serrano ham, coarsely chopped

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed

  • One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger 

  • 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

  • 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce

  • 2 teaspoons red miso

  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce

RAMEN

  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

  • 4 large eggs

  • 8 ounces dried instant ramen noodles

  • 8 thin slices of country ham, prosciutto or serrano ham (about 1/2 pound)

  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese shavings

  • 1 Hass avocado, thinly sliced

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 2 sheets of nori, quartered

Directions

Make the broth

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the ham, onion, garlic and ginger and cook over moderately high heat until the onion is starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, fish sauce, miso, soy sauce and ½ cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until the broth is flavorful, about 20 minutes. Strain the broth and discard the solids. Return the broth to the pan and keep warm.

Meanwhile, make the ramen

  1. Bring a large, deep skillet of water to a simmer over moderate heat; add the vinegar. One at a time, break the eggs into a small bowl and slide them into the simmering water, leaving plenty of space between them. Poach the eggs until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the eggs to a paper towel–lined plate.

  2. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer the noodles to large soup bowls. Top with the poached eggs. Ladle the hot broth on top and serve with the ham, cheese, avocado, scallions and nori.

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