Chicken Ramen

Ingredients

• 4 pounds chicken wings
• 1 pound chicken feet
• 2 pieces kombu
• 2 leeks, trimmed and sliced 1-inch thick
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 bunches scallions, whites reserved, greens thinly sliced, divided
• 1 onion, skin-on, halved
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, washed and trimmed
• 2-inch piece ginger, sliced
• Kosher salt
• 6 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• Chicken bouillon cubes
• 6 servings of fresh, dried, or frozen ramen noodles
• Toasted white and black sesame seeds, coarse ground
• Sesame oil
• Marinated soft boiled eggs
• Wasabi paste, optional

Directions

1. Put the chicken wings and chicken feet into a large stockpot, then add enough cold water to cover them. Set the pot over high heat and let it come to a boil. The moment it boils, take the pot off the heat, drain everything carefully, rinse the chicken gently, and put it back in the pot.
2. Add the kombu, leeks, garlic, scallion whites, onion with the skin facing up, mushrooms, and ginger to the pot with the chicken. Pour in cold water, about 16 cups, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat so the liquid settles into a simmer.
3. As the stock cooks, skim away any impurities from the surface, but leave the fat where it is. Take out the kombu after 30 minutes. Let the stock keep simmering, uncovered, for 8 hours, adding hot water as needed so the bones stay covered. Pull the pot from the heat and strain the stock carefully through a fine mesh strainer. Leave the fat in the broth. You should end up with about 10 cups stock.
4. For the fried shallots, combine the oil and shallots in a medium saucepan. Cook them over medium heat, stirring as they go, until the shallots turn golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and move them to a plate. Save the oil for another use.
5. When you are ready to serve, season the broth generously with salt. Ladle it over cooked ramen noodles, then finish the bowls with sesame seeds, sesame oil, fried shallots, thinly sliced green scallions, marinated egg, and wasabi paste if you want it.