Pork, apple & miso noodle soup

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 350 g organic, lean ground pork (see Tips)
• 2 tart, firm apples, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 250 g udon noodles, preferably whole-wheat
• ¼ cup white miso (see Tips)

Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about two minutes. Stir in apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to soften, about two minutes more. Add broth and water; bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally.

When the noodles are almost done, carefully scoop out about ½ cup of the cooking liquid from the pan and combine with miso. Stir the miso mixture into the soup and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

Tips: Depending on your supermarket, it might be hard to find a lean, organic option for ground pork. But it’s easy to make your own in a food processor. Choose a lean cut, such as loin or tenderloin. Cut into pieces and then pulse in a food processor until uniformly ground (being careful not to over-process, turning the meat into mush). Or ask your butcher to grind it for you.
White or sweet miso (Shiromiso), made with soy and rice, is yellow and mild in flavour. Look for it near tofu at well-stocked supermarkets. It will keep in the refrigerator for at least a year.