Accidentally amazing soup

I didn't think this soup would taste so good! I originally intended to add miso paste, but having warmed and tasted the stock I decided not to. I then thought about adding some nam pla, but after adding the lemongrass and allowing it to infuse, the sweet, almost sickly taste of the stock was transformed into a lighter, fragrant broth. The chopped mint scattered on top just accentuated the fresh taste. 

Of course, there's no guarantee your soup will turn out this good every time. The key is in the stock. In this instance, I had an aniseedy stock made from the bones and cooking liquor from a duck dish I made for friends a few weeks ago. If I'd used chicken stock, I probably would have added that nam pla, and maybe a bit of soy sauce. A vegetable stock version would most definitely have needed that miso paste.

Chicken noodle soup ingredients

• Duck stock
• 4 chicken thighs
• 3 lemongrass stalks
• 1 red chilli
• 2 large handfuls spinach
• 2 portions sugarsnap peas
• 2 servings soba noodles
• 1 sprig mint

2 warmed bowls

How to make chicken noodle soup 

1. Add some rapeseed oil to a frying pan and heat till hot.
2. Add the chicken thighs to the pan, turn down the heat, and brown. Turn and brown the other side.
3. WARNING: THERE WILL BE SMOKE AND SPLUTTERING HOT FAT.
4. Meanwhile, put the stock in a solid-based, high sided pan, and warm.
5. Add the browned chicken thighs to the warm stock and bring to a lively simmer.
6. Finely chop the chilli and add to the stock.
7. Bash the lemongrass with a pestle and snap into pieces so that you can fit it in the pan. 
8. Cook for about 20 minutes.
9. After about 15 minutes, boil a kettle of water, tip into a separate pan and cook the noodles for about 5 minutes.
10. Add the spinach and sugarsnap peas to the stick mixture and cook fora further 3 minutes. 
11. Drain the noodles and add to the warmed bowls.
12. Ladle over the broth with the vegetables and chicken thighs. 
13. Scatter over the chopped mint and eat straight away.

Asian mushroom soup

Marshroom soup

Today I got a text from my blog chum Mars saying I had inspired her to make vomit soup. Since she is full of cold I thought I’d make up a new slightly less vomit-looking recipe for her with a good kick of ginger and chilli to make her feel better.

Asian-tasting mushroom soup ingredients

• Approx 150g red lentils
  Unlike most pulses, lentils require no pre-cooking soaking or rapid boiling.  
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• I stalk lemon grass, finely shredded, or, in my case today, a squeeze of lemon grass paste (not as good as the real thing but an OK substitute for soup)
• A piece of root ginger, about the size of Jamie Oliver’s thumb*
• 200-250g chestnut mushrooms (I happened to have 127g, yes I actually weighed them). Oriental mushrooms would be good but you would need to reduce the quantity as things like oyster or shiiake mushrooms are expensive.
• Small can coconut milk – Blue Dragon do a 165ml can which is the perfect amount. The tin looks dinky too
• Approx ½ litre or 1 pint chicken stock. Vegetable stock will be fine for this recipe. In fact, non-vegetarians may not even notice the lack of meat since there are so many other strong flavours in here.
• Fish sauce – a large dash
• Coriander leaves and stalks, chopped (if you have the roots from the plants, all the better)
• Mint leaves, chopped
• Lime juice from 1 lime
• Fish sauce, a splash

*Thumb-size is the international measurement for root ginger. Although this recipe isn’t Jamie’s, he frequently uses this measurement so I assume his thumb is the accurate size.

1. Gently fry the shallots and the ginger for a few minutes in some light-flavoured oil, such as groundnut or sunflower.
2. Add the mushrooms and fry until they have started to collapse and release a deep mushroomy smell.They will sizzle like sausages or, if you are vegetarian, like mushrooms. 
3. Add your chicken stock, lemongrass, chilli and rinsed lentils, then bring to the boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are cooked.  
5. Add a splash of fish sauce and the coconut milk and cook for about 5 minutes. 
6. Turn off the heat and add the lime juice.* 
7. Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle each with some chopped coriander and mint.

This made enough for 3 portions, ie 3 free lunches.

*Don’t add the lime if you’re going to reheat this soup at work – take half a lime to work with you and squeeze it in after its been reheated.