New Five Spice Duck And Ginger Noodle Soup

New Five Spice Duck And Ginger Noodle Soup

An Authentic Chinese noodle soup recipe, packed with healthy vegetables and moreish spicy flavors.

PREP: Ready in 35 minutes
COOKS: Easy
SERVES:  4 Serving

Ingredients 

• Pinch of crushed dried chillies
• 1 / 4 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 / 2 tsp sugar
• 2 large duck breasts, skin removed
• 2 litres fresh chicken stock, hot
• 5 cm piece fresh ginger, cut into thin strips
• 2 tsp sunflower oil
• 200 g dried wholewheat noodles 
• 1 medium hot red chilli, DE-seeded and thinly sliced
• Bunch of spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 200 g beansprouts
• 4 heads pak Choi , roughly chopped
• Handful fresh coriander sprigs
• Dark soy sauce, to serve
  

Method 

1. Lightly grind the crushed chillies in a pestle and mortar, then mix in a shallow dish with the five spice powder, sugar, some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the duck breasts skinned-side down on the spices. Cover with a plate and weigh down with a few cans. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the stock and ginger to the boil in a pan. Season with a little salt and keep hot. Bring another pan of lightly salted water to the boil ready for the noodles.
3. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the duck breasts, spice-side down, lower the heat slightly and cook for 3 minutes each side for medium-rare. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in the boiling water according to the packet instructions. Drain and divide between 4 warm bowls. Sprinkle with the chilli and half the spring onions. Add the beansprouts and pak Choi to the chicken stock and cook for 1 minute. Ladle over the noodles.
5. Thinly slice the duck on the diagonal and place on top of the noodle soup. Scatter with the remaining spring onions and coriander sprigs and serve with the dark soy sauce on the side.
   

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Christmas Irish Soup

Christmas Irish Soup

This hearty Irish recipe goes down a treat on a chilly evening.

PREP: 15 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
SERVES: 4

Ingredients 

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 700 g boneless lamb chump chops, trimmed and cut into small cubes
• 2 small onions, sliced
• 2 leeks, thickly sliced and washed thoroughly
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 carrot, thickly sliced
• ½ small swede, cut into bite size chunks
• Good sprig of fresh thyme, plus extra to garnish
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  

Method

1. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the cubes of lamb, in batches, and cook, turning occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, until well browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the onions to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until browned. Return the lamb to the pan and add the leeks. Pour in 1 liter water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring now and then.
3. Add the potatoes, carrot, swede and thyme, and continue cooking for a further 40 minutes, until the lamb is very tender. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes to allow the fat to settle on the surface of the soup.
4. Use a large spoon or ladle to skim off and discard the fat. Carefully pour off the stock from the soup into a clean saucepan. Whisk in the remaining butter. Stir in the parsley and season well with salt and pepper, then pour the liquid back over the lamb and vegetables.
5. To serve, ladle the soup into 4 warmed bowls and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Eat with slices of Irish soda bread or brown bread.
   

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Christmas Chicken Noodle Soup

Christmas Chicken Noodle Soup

The aromatic broth will warm you on a winter's evening it contains ginger, which is particularly good for colds, too.

PREP: 10 MINS
COOK: 30 MINS
SERVES: SERVES 2

Ingredients

•  900 ml chicken or vegetable stock 
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, about 175 g / 6 oz
• 1 tsp chopped fresh root ginger
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 50 g rice or wheat noodles
• 2 tbsp sweetcorn, canned or frozen
• 2 to 3 mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions, shredded
• 2 tsp soy sauce, plus extra for serving
• mint or basil leaves and a little shredded chilli (optional), to serve
  

Method

1. Pour the stock into a pan and add the chicken, ginger and garlic. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, partly cover and simmer for 20 mins, until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a board and shred into bite size pieces using a couple of forks.
2. Return the chicken to the stock with the noodles, corn, mushrooms, half the spring onions and the soy sauce. Simmer for 3 to 4 mins until the noodles are tender. Ladle into two bowls and scatter over the remaining spring onions, herbs and chilli shreds if using. Serve with extra soy sauce for sprinkling.
   

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Christmas Hot And Sour Chicken Soup

Christmas Hot And Sour Chicken Soup

Delicious hot and sour soup does not need to be complicated. This is my quick and easy interpretation of the classic Chinese version ready in about half an hour.With egg ribbons, tofu and shiitake mushrooms, this is a deliciously warming soup.

Prep: 10 min  
Cook: 20 min  
Ready in: 30 min
SERVE: SERVES 6

Ingredients

• 750 ml (1 1/4 pints) chicken stock
• 100 ml (4 fl oz) water
• 200 g (7 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
• 50 g (2 oz) bamboo shoots
• 3 slices fresh root ginger
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 dessertspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed chillies
• 500 g (1 1/4 lb) skinless, boneless chicken breast fillets  cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• handful chopped fresh coriander (optional)
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons cornflour
• 1 egg beaten
  

Method

1. In a saucepan, combine the chicken stock, water, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, root ginger, garlic, soy sauce and crushed chillies. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place the chicken strips into a bowl and toss with the sesame oil to coat. In a separate bowl, stir together the cornflour and vinegar, and set aside.
3. Increase the heat under the stock to medium-high, and return to a rolling boil. Add the chicken. Return to the boil, and then drizzle in the egg while stirring slowly to create long strands of egg. Stir in the vinegar and cornflour. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and the stock has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Serve garnished with spring onions and coriander.
   

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Christmas Chicken Corn Soup

Christmas Chicken Corn Soup

Great recipe. Delicious and certainly easy. I made this as written and it turned out fabulous. Definitely a keeper.

 

READY IN: 30 mins

SERVES: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 large chicken breast fillet (boneless)
• 300 g canned corn kernels
• 300 g canned creamed corn
• 1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 2 spring onions (finely sliced) or 2 scallions (finely sliced) or 2 green onions (finely sliced)
  

Method

1. Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan(depending on your taste or needs you may wish to substitute some of the stock for water).
2. Add chicken breast fillet to the stock, turn the heat off and cover the pain with a lid for 15 minutes.
3. Remove chicken breast from the stock and leave to cool for a few minutes then shred.
4. Add corn to stock and bring to the boil over a medium heat.
5. Combine soy sauce and cornflour into a paste then stir into the soup to thicken slightly.
6. Add shredded chicken to soup.
7. Slowly pour beaten eggs into the soup in a steady stream, stirring constantly with a fork.
8. Serve topped with the sliced spring onions and enjoy!
9. NB: Cooking time includes the 15 minutes for "poaching" the chicken breast.
   

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Christmas Spicy Chicken Thai Soup

Christmas Spicy Chicken Thai Soup

Most of the ingredients for this Thai-inspired soup can be found in the supermarket. The red curry paste is spicy, but by controlling the amount of paste you add, you can tailor this to your own threshold of pain.
Prep 15 m
Cook 1 h
Ready In 1 h 15 m
Serve 6 serving

Ingredients

3 lemongrass stalks, bottom two-thirds of tender inner bulbs only, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (4 inch) piece fresh ginger root, chopped 

4 cups chicken broth 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks 

12 ounces fresh white mushrooms, 

quartered 2 teaspoons red curry paste

3 tablespoons fish sauce 

1 lime, juiced 

2 (14 ounce) cans coconut milk 

1 red onion, sliced 

1/2 bunch cilantro,roughly chopped 

1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving 

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced into rings

Method

1. Stir lemon grass, garlic, and ginger together in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Strain chicken broth and set aside. Discard lemon grass, garlic, and ginger.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; Stir in chicken; cook and stir for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in mushrooms and cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Stir in red curry paste, fish sauce, and lime juice until combined. Stir in chicken broth and coconut milk; return to a simmer and cook on low for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Skim off any excess oil and fat that rises to the top and discard.
7. Stir red onion into the chicken mixture; cook and stir until onion softens, about 5 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and add about 1/2 the cilantro.
9. Serve with plates of cilantro, lime wedges, and fresh sliced jalapenos.
   

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Christmas Chicken soup

Christmas Chicken soup

Pure soul food, this warming, easy chicken soup makes the most of leftover roast chicken.

Each serving provides 288 k.cal, 28 g protein, 11.5 g carbohydrate (of which 7 g sugars), 14 g fat (of which 6.5 g saturates), 3.4 g fiber and 0.7 g salt.

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour

Serves Serves 6

Ingredients

55g/2oz butter

2 onions, sliced

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely diced

25g/2oz plain flour

1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock

450g/1lb cooked chicken, skinned and shredded

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and carrots until they start to soften.

Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you do so. Season with salt and pepper, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Adjust the seasoning, stir in the parsley and serve.

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