Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup
Ingredients
1 litre (4 cups) beef stock
1 litre (4 cups) water
4cm fresh ginger, peeled, grated
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons kecap manis
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
6 green spring onions
2 cups fresh coriander leaves
200g bean sprouts
400g packet rice vermicelli noodles
250g beef eye fillet, thinly sliced
1 brown onion, thinly sliced
2 fresh long red chillies, finely sliced
Crispy fried shallots (garnish)
Method
Place stock, water, ginger, sauce, juice, star anise, cinnamon, in stock pot and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Strain into a heatproof bowl. Return stock to pan with half the spring onions, coriander and sprouts.
Place noodles in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 10 minutes. Loosen with a fork. Drain, rinse and drain well.Divide among serving bowls.
Place beef and brown onion on top of noodles in bowls. Bring stock to boil again. Ladle over beef and onion.
Combine remaining spring onions, coriander and bean sprouts in a medium bowl. Add chilli and fried shallots. Divide over top of soup before serving.
Baked Fish in a bag
Ingredients
250g English Spinach, washed and drained
4 medium sized white fish fillets (like cod, snapper etc)
sea salt
200g grape tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons EVOO
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1 lemon, quatered
Method
Preheat oven to 220C (200C fan forced).
Cut 4 sheets of aluminium foil (38cm square). You don't have to, but I also do an inner lining of baking paper.
Divide the spinach between the 4 sheets (centred).
Season fish with salt and pepper to taste (I use paprika instead of pepper). Place one fillet on top of each pile of spinach.
In a small bowl, toss together tomatoes, garlic and oil. Season to taste.
Spoon an equal portion onto the top of each fillet.
Taking one square at a time, take opposite side and bring together and crimp the foil tightly from the middle to the outer edge. Make sure sides are crimped closed. Fold the crimped edge over and over again and secure so no air escapes the parcel.
Place parcels onto a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes (until parcels are puffed up).
Remove from oven and snip parcel open and slide content out onto plate.
Delicious. Though more so if you have a bit of everything in together.
Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use Rice Bran Oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1.5 cups plain flour
1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarbonnate of soda
0.5 teaspoon baking powder
1 small- medium zucchini, grated
0.5 cup chopped walnuts (I use crumbed walnuts)
Method
Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Line a Loaf tin with baking paper.
Beat eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Then add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat until thick and pale (approx 5 minutes).
Sift together flour, cinnamon, bicarb of soda and baking powder. Fold into the egg mixture and then add in the zucchini and walnuts.
Pour/spoon into loaf tin and bake for 55-60 minutes.
