STOCK:
3 lb Roasted beef bones
6 qt Water
2 tb Crumbled sage
1 1/2 tb Dried oregano
2    Dried tabasco peppers,
Cracked
2    Bay leaves
3 tb Worcestershire sauce
3 tb Nuoc mam
1 tb Salt
1 tb Black pepper
4    Dried tomatoes
1 lg Galangal root, cut into
sm Pieces
FOR THE SOUP:
2 lg Chipotle peppers, broken
Into pieces
4 oz Dried shiitake mushrooms
10    Dried tomatoes
3    Cloves elephant garlic --
Chopped fine
1    Head regular garlic --
Pressed
1 sm Yellow onion
1 tb Black pepper
1/4 c  Black bean sauce
1/3 c  Oyster sauce
4 tb Nuoc mam
2 tb Worcestershire sauce
4 c  Warm water
3/4 c  Peanut oil

First, roast your soup bones for 45 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove from
oven and put into 6 quarts water along with the rest of the stock
ingredients. Boil gently for about 45 minutes, skimming off the scum that
rises to the top.

While the stock is boiling, soak the dried shiitakes in warm water for 30
minutes, then drain and coarsely chop. Also chop 3 cloves of elephant
garlic fine, heat three-quarters of a cup of peanut oil to 375 degrees, and
fry the chopped garlic until golden brown. Remove and set aside; chop one
small yellow onion fine, add half to the hot oil, and fry this until it too
is golden brown. Set aside.

When the stock is done strain it, return the liquid to the pot, and add
your cracked chipotle peppers, shiitake mushrooms, 10 dried tomatoes, black
pepper, black bean sauce, oyster sauce, nuoc mam, worcestershire sauce, and
four cups of warm water. Add the chopped yellow onion you did not fry,
press one head (about 10-15 cloves) of regular garlic in, and bring to a
gentle boil for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring occasionally.

About 10 minutes before serving reduce to a simmer, add the fried elephant
garlic and fried yellow onion, and cover. Enjoy!

Tom Solomon