Fire Soup for Coughs and Colds!

INGREDIENTS

2 inch fresh ginger
1 inch fresh turmeric
3 large cloves garlic
Handful of fresh coriander
2 spring onions, sliced (both white and green bits)
1 red chilli, seeds removed
1 litre chicken stock
400g (1 tin) coconut milk
lemon juice
2 tsp honey
2 Tbspns fish sauce (optional)
2 Tbspns olive oil
Salt
1 chicken cooked chicken breast, shredded or sliced (or leftover bbq chicken)
200g rice noodles or noodles of your choice (optional)
Bok choy, chopped (optional)
Extra sliced spring onions and coriander for garnish (optional)

METHOD

1.  Mince garlic, finely grate ginger and turmeric, finely chop coriander and chilli, slice spring onions, mix together in a bowl with olive oil.
2. Heat another tablespoon of oil in large saucepan and add half of the mixture and saute for 30sec, add stock and simmer for 10min.
3. Add coconut milk, lemon juice, honey, fish sauce, salt to taste, simmer another 10 mins.
4. Add cooked chicken and simmer until warmed through.
5. (Optional) Add rice noodles, bok choy, simmer 3min
6. Add remaining minced herbs, garlic, ginger & turmeric mixture, and stir through, simmer 3min.
7. Pour into bowls, and garnish with extra spring onions and coriander if desired.

Adapted from: https://www.quirkycooking.com.au/2009/07/coconut-lemon-chicken-soup/

Ostro: Pear and Date Cake with Maple Buttercream

 INGREDIENTS

100g pitted dates, roughly chopped

1/2 bicarb soda

60ml boiling water

100g unsalted butter, chopped

125g (2/3 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar

2 eggs

100ml extra virgin olive oil

150g plain yoghurt

finely grated zest of one lemon

200g (1 1/3 cups) self-raising flour

1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger

1 pears (about 400g total), peeled, cored and roughly chopped

maple syrup for drizzling

50g unsalted butter, softened

90g (3/4 cup) icing sugar, sifted

1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

METHOD 

- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

- Grease a 24cm loaf tin with butter and line with baking paper

- Mix the dates in a small bowl and sprinkle with bicarb. Cover with the water and allow to stand for 10min (do not throw the water away!)

- Cream butter and sugar til pale and fluffy

- Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition

- Mix in olive oil, lemon zest, yoghurt, dates and water

- Stir in flour and ginger until just combined

- Gently stir in pear and spoon batter into tin

- Bake for 45-50min or until skewer comes out clean

- leave to cool in tin for a few minutes then turn out on to a rack to cool completely

- For the maple buttercream, beat the butter an icing sugar together until pale and fluffy (if using a kitchen aid or similar, for 4-10min or until icing mix does not taste grainy)

- Spread the buttercream over the cake and drizzle a little maple syrup over the top to finish.

I would recommend you purchase the Ostro cookbook to show your support! http://www.julia-ostro.com/cookbook/