Rice Noodle Soup with Ham and Lettuce

Preparation Cover chicken with 12 cups water in a 6- to 8-quart pot. Cut off one third of ham (trim if necessary) and cut into 1/3-inch dice, then chill. Add remaining two thirds ham to pot. Trim scallions, then cut 1 scallion into thin slices and reserve. Cut remaining scallions crosswise into thirds and add to pot along with ginger, garlic, and cilantro stems. Cook chicken, uncovered, at a bare simmer 3 hours (do not let boil), skimming foam as necessary. (Do not stir, or stock will be cloudy.) Transfer chicken with tongs to a cutting board, reserving stock. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove breast meat and shred into 3-inch-long strips, discarding skin. Chill strips and reserve remaining chicken for another use. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids and skimming off fat (see cooks' note, below). Bring 6 cups stock with salt to a simmer. While stock is coming to a simmer, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Soak noodles in a bowl of very hot water until softened, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander. Add noodles to boiling water and cook 1 minute, then add lettuce and cook 30 seconds. Drain in a colander. Using tongs, divide noodles and lettuce among 6 deep bowls, forming small nests, then top with shredded chicken and diced ham. Ladle 1 cup hot broth into each bowl and sprinkle with sliced scallion. Cooks' note:To skim even more fat from stock (for a soup with less than 4 grams fat), cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, until fat solidifies, about 6 hours.Each serving contains about 155 calories and 4 grams fat. Nutritional analysis provided by Gourmet

Preparation Cover chicken with 12 cups water in a 6- to 8-quart pot. Cut off one third of ham (trim if necessary) and cut into 1/3-inch dice, then chill. Add remaining two thirds ham to pot. Trim scallions, then cut 1 scallion into thin slices and reserve. Cut remaining scallions crosswise into thirds and add to pot along with ginger, garlic, and cilantro stems. Cook chicken, uncovered, at a bare simmer 3 hours (do not let boil), skimming foam as necessary. (Do not stir, or stock will be cloudy.) Transfer chicken with tongs to a cutting board, reserving stock. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove breast meat and shred into 3-inch-long strips, discarding skin. Chill strips and reserve remaining chicken for another use. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids and skimming off fat (see cooks' note, below). Bring 6 cups stock with salt to a simmer. While stock is coming to a simmer, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan. Soak noodles in a bowl of very hot water until softened, about 10 minutes, then drain in a colander. Add noodles to boiling water and cook 1 minute, then add lettuce and cook 30 seconds. Drain in a colander. Using tongs, divide noodles and lettuce among 6 deep bowls, forming small nests, then top with shredded chicken and diced ham. Ladle 1 cup hot broth into each bowl and sprinkle with sliced scallion. Cooks' note:To skim even more fat from stock (for a soup with less than 4 grams fat), cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, until fat solidifies, about 6 hours.Each serving contains about 155 calories and 4 grams fat. Nutritional analysis provided by Gourmet