In My Kitchen - May 2024

 It's May already, and I'm about to share with you what I've been cooking and enjoying in my kitchen during April, which is always a busy month. This year we were home for all of April, which was lovely. I resorted to making a few of my favourite recipes, and cooked up some new ones. April brings Easter, precious thoughts about loved ones during Anzac Day, and our wedding anniversary as well. All of these events are full of memories, as are so many food recipes that I cook. May brings the very welcome cooler weather, and that means that I start making delicious soups again.

With Winter just round the corner, I resurrected my soup pot, and made chicken broth and some delicious chicken soup. I haven't ever posted how I make my chicken soup, which is surprising as I make a lot of it, from scratch, and as it comes. My recipe is fairly consistent though so here is my basic recipe. I might throw in a few extra vegs that are lurking in the vegetable crisper in the refrigerator, a few extra herbs, the more goodness in the pot the better. Besides tasting delicious, chicken soup is very good for us and is the perfect tonic when we are feeling unwell or miserable with a cold or the flu. I also like to think of it as a preventative for Winter colds and flus. 

Completely cover chicken and vegetables with water. Fill the pot. There's more water to add to this pot.

Making the Chicken stock

Ingredients:

1 cheap uncooked chicken (the cheapest chook I can find), and a couple of extra wings and a few chicken necks, or a couple of chicken frames (frames can be cheaper than a whole chook), plus wings and necks,  or 1 kg of chicken wings can also be used. Just using wings is my least preferred option as they can make a fatty stock, however it will still be tasty and it it's all you have, use them.

2 litres of water (or enough to cover the chicken and vegetables in the stock pot)

2 tablespoons plain vinegar (I've also used apple cider vinegar)

2 roughly chopped carrots

1 onion, peeled and  halved

4 stalks celery roughly chopped

3 stalks fresh parsley, chopped

1 bayleaf

1 garlic clove peeled (optional)

A few peppercorns

Bring all of these ingredients except the parsley in the pot to the boil, and then reduce to a simmer. I like to simmer my stock in the pot for a whole day.  Add the chopped parsley an hour before finishing cooking the stock.

After 1 1/2 to 2 hours of simmering the stock, I remove the chicken breast meat from the chicken carcass, and some of this cooked tender chicken meat can then be added chopped to the chicken soup when ready to serve, or used on sandwiches, in a chicken curry or however you wish really. It will keep well, if covered in the refrigerator for a few days. 

Strain the stock through a fine mesh colander, discard the cooked vegetables and bones. and leave to rest in the frig overnight, covered in a large bowl. You might need two bowls. The following day, remove any fat from the surface of the stock. (I don't want to contradict what I have just said, but, and a big but, the fat if left in the stock makes the soup even more tasty.) This is optional. Sometimes if I am desperate for soup on the same day as making the stock, for expediency, I'll transfer some of the stock with a ladle, straight from the stock pot, always strained through the colander, straight into my soup pot. It's important to fry the vegetables for the soup in your soup pot, first in some olive oil, before adding the stock. This means extra flavour from the vegetables in your soup. After using fresh chicken to make stock, there will be small bones combined with the cooked vegetables. After straining, ensure these are all removed and discarded.

Method for making delicious Chicken Soup from scratch:

Ingredients:

2 Litres homemade Chicken Stock or there may be more
4 finely chopped carrots
1 finely chopped brown onion, skin removed
4 stalks celery, washed and finely chopped
Leaves from 4 stalks of fresh celery, finely chopped (optional) 
4 stalks of fresh parsley, leaves only finely chopped
Salt and ground white pepper to taste (Salt to suit your taste is important)

2 teaspoons Fish Sauce

2  tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil

1 cup barley or pasta

Method:

Cook the barley or pasta separately and add to the soup by the spoonful when serving. Cooking barley in with the soup can result in the barley absorbing too much of the liquid. 

Fry the vegetables until softened. Add the stock, enough to make the quantity of soup you need, the rest of the stock can be frozen for a later date. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add the fish sauce (this is my secret ingredient that I always add to my chicken soup.)

Simmer until vegetables are cooked and it tastes delicious. Add some chopped parsley.

Before serving the soup, add about 1 tablespoon of cooked barley, and some chopped chicken to your serving bowls, ladle in the stock, and garnish with a little more parsley. I also love to eat hot buttered toast with my chicken soup. Enjoy.

I don't often include whole recipes in my IMK posts, but with Winter just around the corner it seemed appropriate to post my recipe for chicken soup.

I also made a pot of Bean, Ham and Kale Soup which is a real family favourite. 

I'm in my happy place baking cakes. That's why I'm really excited at the thought of delving into Emelia Jackson's new cookery book, "First, cream the butter and sugar", and having fun with some of her recipes. It takes baking from the beginner stage to the advanced level.  

So let's turn on the music, and start baking. Do you listen to your favourite music when you have a baking or cooking session planned? I often do, and it has to be energetic music. I adore classical music, and attending classical music concerts, that's my upbringing, but when I'm cooking, it's mostly pop/rock music from the 60's, 70's and 80's that energises me. Then if no-one is around, in between different stages of the cooking process, I might grab my weights and do a little dancing and exercising around the lounge room. It's fun and great exercise. What an image eh? Then when the cooking and cleaning up is finished, it's my favourite classics from Gershwin, Debussy, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff for starters that I listen to. Music like art is a very personal thing, and Mr. HRK and I both love music. Do you have a favourite play list that you listen to when you are cooking? I can't imagine a world without beautiful music. Most importantly, enjoy your cooking and try to have fun with what you are preparing.

My Carrot Bundt cake with Cream Cheese filling and Lemon Drizzle icing was a real favourite with the Mahjong players. It's a keeper. I really enjoyed the challenge of making this cake with it's cheesecake filling.

This is another one of my favourite cakes, a Rhubarb, Meringue, and Almond cake. There are a few steps involved but it is the perfect dessert to make for friends and delicious for afternoon tea as well.  Our good friends P & J gave me this recipe, which was given to them by their friend in Germany who loves to bake cakes. 

In celebration of Kent (Jap) pumpkins being in season, I cooked this Roasted pumpkin, haloumi, pearl barley salad with a mint pesto served on a long platter. It was colourful and very healthy. We have access to good pumpkins all year round, but they seem to be at their best in Autumn. The haloumi was cooked with Maple syrup, wow, that was really delicious along with the mint pesto. There are so many  layers to this salad which combine beautifully, whether it's served warm or cold.

Below is a wholesome Cypriot Grain Salad which never disappoints. I hadn't made it for what seems like ages, but when I served it for 9 people it was a perfect match with Ottolenghi's Lamb Siniyah, which has a rich Golden Tahini topping. I love that most of the preparation for both dishes can be done the day before. Lamb Siniyah has been one of the most popular posts on my blog.

Cypriot Grain Salad in a lovely old serving bowl from my Mum's kitchen

Ottolenghi's Lamb Siniyah, the equivalent of a Lamb Stew with a golden tahini topping.

A warm batch of Damper Scones is never far away in my kitchen, and easily whipped up when friends are on their way. It helps to always keep some cream in the refrigerator and some homemade Strawberry Jam on hand.

We treated ourselves to buying some Mandu pork dumplings from the Supermarket freezer section and they were delicious prepared in our steamer basket.

Every month food bloggers from around the world are invited to participate in the In My Kitchen series hosted by the lovely Sherry from Sherry's Pickings. This is my contribution to IMK, which showcases the month of April In My Kitchen.

Dear IMK friends, Bye for now and I hope you enjoy some happy times cooking in your kitchen.

Warm wishes,

Pauline