Bacon Dashi & Soba Noodle Soup

Method

1. Spread rice on a tray and dry-roast in the oven on 180°C until the rice is a dark, coffee brown colour. Let cool.
2. Place diced bacon, bacon bones, chicken stock, onion, carrot, celery and leek into a large stock pot on a high heat. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to simmer for 1 hour.
3. While you wait, cook the soba noodles in a pot of salted water as per the instructions on the pack.
4. Once cooked, strain the noodles and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Reserve the noodles for later use.
5. By now your dashi stock should be ready. Strain the liquid off and return it to the heat.
6. Place the seaweed and bonito into a fine sieve, and place in the stock for 5 minutes.
7. Remove the sieve, ensuring you press the seaweed mixture to extract as much liquid as possible.
8. Add the roasted rice to the soup and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.
9. Strain soup through a sieve to remove rice.
10. Serve hot with soba noodles. Mix some of the cos lettuce into the broth so that it lightly wilts into the soup.
11. Garnish with finely sliced green shallots and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.