SHOW & RECIPE FOR JAN. 27

DINING IN TOULOUSE
In France, the word Toulouse might be identifying a famous food city or a very short artist whose surname was Lautrec. In Houston, though, the word brings back memories of a Tanglewood favorite named Café Toulouse. Chef-owner Scott Castell joins us to talk about his creation of a new place in the old space, Bistro Toulouse.

GENTLE FIRE IN A GLASS
Many wine lovers (including this one) remember their first sip of cognac – the soft caress of its almost perfumed heat in their throats. In this week’s Grape & Grain segment, we sit down to taste with a real Frenchman from the Cognac region to learn what this wine-related spirit is and is not, along with where it does and does not come from. After this, you won’t be singing that old song “Brandy” anymore!

VERY POPULAR SCIENCE
The Houston Museum of Natural Science in Hermann Park says 2006 was their best year ever, with something over three million visitors. That No. 3 turns up again, since that attendance makes the Houston museum the nation’s third most popular museum, after the Smithsonian in Washington and the Metropolitan in New York. Museum President Joel Barsch joins us to talk about the big year ahead.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
VIETNAMESE BEEF PHO

Broth:
5-6 pounds beef soup bones
1 pound beef chuck or brisket, cut into pieces
2 onions, lightly charred over flame
4-inch ginger root, lightly charred over flame
5 star anise
6 whole cloves
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce

1 ½ pounds small dried banh pho noodles (rice sticks)
½ pound round, sirloin of London broil, set in freezer 15 minutes and sliced paper thin
1 onion, thinly sliced and soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
4 scallions, green parts only, chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper

To make a clear broth, parboil the bones and beef in water for 3-5 minutes to release the impurities. Drain and rinse them with fresh water, cleaning any residue from the stockpot. Return the bones and meat to the pot. Add all remaining broth ingredients. Pour in 6 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to gentle simmer and cook for 3 hours, skimming impurities from the top occasionally.

To prepare the bowls, soak the dried noodles in hot tap water for 15-20 minutes, until softened. Quickly blanch the noodles in boiling water, just 10-15 seconds, then remove with a strainer. Divide the noodles over 8 soup bowls. Add the raw paper-thin beef atop the noodles, along with the soaked onion. Bring the broth just to a boil and ladle into the bowls, cooking the thin beef. Garnish each bowl with scallions, cilantro and pepper. Serves 8.