Divide the chicken dumpling mixture into 36 walnut-sized pieces and shape each one into a small ball.
2 Pour the chicken stock into a large saucepan and bring just to the boil. Reduce the heat so the stock is simmering gently and add the chicken dumplings. Cook for 4–5 minutes, then add the noodles, cabbage and chilli. Simmer for 3–4 minutes or until the noodles are tender and the chicken dumplings cooked through. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3 Ladle into serving bowls (serving six dumplings per bowl), scatter with the mint and serve with the lime wedges and fish sauce for people to add themselves.
Molly malone’s cockle and mussel chowder
SERVES 4–6
A little more work is involved in making this soup, but it’s definitely well worth the effort. It makes a decent meal in its own right, especially with chunks of crusty bread, or you can serve it as a starter. Cockles and mussels are a classic combination but if you can only get one or the other, you can use them singly in this soup.2 tbsp sunflower oil 110g (4oz) smoked bacon, diced
25g (1oz) butter
110g (4oz) leek, trimmed and very finely diced
110g (4oz) carrot, peeled and very finely diced
275g (100z) potato (about 1 medium), peeled and finely diced
1kg (2lb 3oz) mixed cockles and mussels
300ml (½ pint) dry white wine
200ml (7fl oz) milk
200ml (7fl oz) single or regular cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
1 Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan on a medium—high heat and sauté the bacon for about 1 minute until crisp and golden. Melt the butter in the pan and add the leek, carrot and potato. Sauté gently on a low heat for 4–5 minutes or until soft but not browned.
2 Meanwhile, prepare the cockles and mussels. Scrub the shells clean and discard any that remain open when you tap them against a hard surface. Remove the beard — the little fibrous tuft — from each mussel. Bring the wine to the boil in a large saucepan and add the cockles and mussels. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to cook for 3–4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the shells have opened.
3 Remove from the heat, drain the shellfish in a colander, retaining the cooking juices, and discard any shells that remain closed. Once drained, return the shellfish to the empty pan to keep warm. Place a fine sieve over a measuring jug and strain the cooking liquid. If the juices caught in the jug measure less than 600ml (l pint), add water to make up to that quantity.
4 Add the pan juices and the milk to the bacon and vegetable mixture and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6–8 minutes or until the potato is tender. Add the cream and simmer for a further 2–3 minutes or until reduced and thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
5 Meanwhile, remove half of the cockles and mussels from their shells and add them with the remaining cockles and mussels still in their shells to the chowder. Stir in the parsley and serve at once with some crusty bread.
Nettle soup with smoked mackerel crostini
SERVES 6 · VEGETARIAN (IF MADE WITH VEGETABLE STOCK)
This is a tasty and highly nutritious soup that freezes very well. Feel free to substitute the nettles with other greens such as spinach, watercress or sorrel. For the best flavour, pick young new nettles that haven’t been sprayed. Don’t forget to wear gloves while picking and chopping! The sting goes out of the nettles as soon as they hit the hot stock. Like all green soups, this should not be left to simmer for a long time or it will lose its fresh green colour and flavour.
25g (1oz) butter or 2 tbsp olive oil
110g (4oz) peeled and chopped onions
150g (5oz) peeled and chopped potatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
600ml (1 pint) chicken or vegetable stock (see page 326)
600ml (1 pint) milk
350g (12oz) nettles, destalked and chopped
For the crostini
2 demi baguettes or 1 thin baguette, cut in half
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 smoked mackerel fillets (about 150g/5oz in weight)
4 tbsp crème fraîche
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dill
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (optional)
1 Add the butter or olive oil to a large saucepan on a very low heat and when the butter has melted, tip in the onions and potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but not browned.
2 Pour in the stock and milk into the pan, bring to the boil and add the nettles. Cook, uncovered, on a high heat for about 1 minute until the nettles are just cooked — don’t heat them for too long or they will lose their fresh green colour. Remove from the heat and purée until smooth in a blender or using a hand-held blender. Check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and prepare the crostini.
4 With the baguettes running lengthways away from you, trim the ends of each loaf and then cut the remaining bread into six long thin slices. Arrange the slices on a baking tray crust side down and brush the olive oil over evenly. Bake in the oven for 6–8 minutes or until crisp and golden. Remove and allow to cool.
5 Peel the skin from the mackerel and chop the flesh. Place in a blender with the crème fraîche, lemon juice, most of the dill, chilli sauce (if using) and a little pepper. Blend for a few seconds until smooth. Taste and season with a little salt, if necessary.
6 When ready to serve, divide the mackerel pâté between the cooled crostini, spread evenly and sprinkle with the remaining dill. Ladle the soup into warm bowls, arrange two pieces of mackerel crostini on the side and serve.
6 5 minutes or until the spring onions have softened. Check the seasoning, adjusting it if necessary, and ladle into warm bowls to serve.
Chicken
