Macaroni in Pork Bones Soup...

My husband has been away on business travel... and food usually means eating breakfast on-the-go, sandwich lunch meetings and some greasy spoon for dinner near the hotel. What could be more comforting than coming home to a hot bowl of good ol' homemade macaroni soup? This is also our easy go-to hearty lunch or dinner when the moment strikes. If you've got pasta in your pantry, bones in your freezer and vegetables on hand, then you got yourself a recipe for pasta in soup!

Macaroni in Pork Bones Soup
Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 lbs. pork neck bones (I find Korean markets sell the meatiest pork bones usually neck bones)
2 slices ginger
salt
1 package (454 g) macaroni or other short pasta, cooked and drained
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, hydrated in water to cover for two hours
1/2 slice of salted turnip (see below) or chicken seasoning to taste
2 cups chopped napa cabbage
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
green onions for garnish

Bring a pot of water to a boil; add one tsp. of salt and ginger. Add the meat bones. Bring the water back to a boil for two to three minutes, then drain it over a strainer. Rinse the bones under cold running water and wash between the crevices to rid gelatinous fat and any grit. Discard the ginger slices. Rinse the pot, add water and bring it back to a boil with the blanched bones. Add 1 tsp. kosher salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low to cook for two hours. If you haven't had time to hydrate dry shiitake mushrooms, add them one hour after.

Skim the layer of fat and scum that builds up on the surface occasionally to achieve a clean broth. 

To season the soup without adding more salt, I usually use salted turnip slices. Often, I add 1/2 of one piece, washed and sliced into thin strips during the last 15 minutes of cooking. But today I trimmed off the bumpy sides and added those instead as my kids don't usually eat them, and I discard them after they cook. Instead, you can add chicken seasoning to taste.

Salted turnip slices can be found in the dried preserved vegetable aisle in Asian markets. 

Remove mushrooms and thinly slice. Add them back along with vegetables into the soup.

Use whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Lots of hunky tender meat to tear off and add to the soup. 

Add the macaroni, bring it all back to a boil and you're ready to eat!

 Nourishing comfort food at it's best!

Hunky meat bones are served dipped in soy sauce mixed with sesame oil.

If you got leftover chicken carcass or bones from a chicken roast, follow this Macaroni in Chicken Soup recipe.