Jon's Chicken Soup
From his friend, Xina.
Oh - I don't do soup from recipes, just a good stock and whatever you
fancy, really.
For a good chicken soup: boil up the carcass of your Sunday roast
chicken, having broken it into bits first, with water - er - some
water - er - quite a lot of water. For about 2 hours. Or 4 hours
or - a long time. Just simmering once it reaches the boil, VERY
gently. You can add any old tired things in the fridge at this
stage, like that half a sad onion, old bit of bacon, celery, end of
a carrot, anything really, not cabbage or tomatoes, some peppercorns.
Anyway....
Strain it and let it go cold. Get the fat off the top. If you put
it in the fridge, the fat is easy to get off. Strip any bits of
chicken off the bones and bin the latter, keeping the chicken
shreds.
Put the stock in a saucepan, add things - the chicken bits, a
couple of chopped leeks, lots of parsley, some rice - not too much.
Bring to the boil and simmer till the rice is cooked; season well
and eat.
You can leave out the chicken bits and the rice, add a few
potatoes, puree it, stir in a little cream and call it vichysoisse.
Or leave out the leek, and after it's cooked, beat a couple of eggs
with lemon juice, stir the mixture in and call it avgolemono - my own
favourite. Don't let it boil after adding eggs or cream, just warm
it through.
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Princess TuggyBear's Nanaimo Bars
The secret to great Nanaimo Bars is the contrast between the sweet
icing and the bitter chocolate on top. I use unsweetened chocolate for
the topping, but you can use bittersweet. Nanaimo Bars sold in stores
often have icky sweet chocolate on top which makes them much too
sweet.
Enjoy!
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
2 T unsweetened cocoa
1 t vanilla
1 egg, beaten
Place these ingredients in the top of a double boiler, over simmering
water. Stir until butter is melted and mixture looks like custard.
Stir in:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut
some nuts if you like them
Press firmly into a square pan. Chill.
Combine:
1/4 cup butter
3 T Bird's custard powder
2 cups icing sugar
Spread on top of bottom layer and chill.
Melt:
2 squares unsweetened chocolate (can use bittersweet)
1 T butter
Mix well, and drizzle over icing.
Chill and cut into bars to serve. Always serve Nanaimo Bars cold.
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The Snuggle Faery's Barley Broth
This is one of our snuggle faery's favourite winter soups. You can
change the vegetable contents to whatever is in season or whatever
your favourites are!
Ingredients
40g pot barley
2 talbespoons oil
I onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 turnip, chopped
75g French beans, cut into small pieces
1.5 litres vegetable stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt & Pepper
4 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Make it:
- Soak the barley in enough cold water to cover for 1 hour. Drain
well and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and fry until softened. Add
the celery, carrots, garlic and turnip. Cover and cook gently for 10
minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
- Add the barley, French beans, stock, soy sauce, salt and pepper
(to taste). Cover and simmer for 45 minutes until tender.
- Add the tomatoes and parsley, and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Check the seasoning and add to it if necessary. Pour into a warmed
soup tureen and serve. (Serves 6-8)
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Jon's Oxtail Stew
This is one of Jon's all time favourite recipes!
Ingredients:
1 medium- sized oxtail
1 oz butter
1 large sliced onion
2-3 carrots
half a small turnip - diced
Tied in a muslin bag:
1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns, 3 cloves, 3 parsley sprigs.
three quarter pint boiling water
salt
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cold water
1 dessert spoon vinegar
Some par boiled potatoes
Make it:
Wash and dry oxtail, cut into neat pieces, and remove excess fat.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and add the onion - fry until
pale gold.
Add oxtail and rest of veg except the potatoes - stir fry for 5 mins.
Add the herbs, boiling water and salt, bring to boil, lower heat,
cover pan, and simmer for 3 hours. (It's faster in a pressure cooker!)
Remove herb bag.
Leave overnight in a cool place.
Remove and discard the ensuing layer of fat, and bring to the boil.
Pour in flour mixed to smooth paste with cold water and vinegar. Cook,
stirring, until it boils and thickens. Add the par boiled potatoes,
cover, and simmer until they are cooked.
Serve!
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