We’ve adapted a classic master stock recipe to make it easier to put together using common (Western) household cooking ingredients. Using the master stock to poach chicken fillets and by later adding rice noodles; this fast and extraordinary flavoursome recipe is a great value for money choice. We suggest it can serve 6 people, however if there is remaining stock, it can be frozen and reused by re-heating and freshening up the with additional ingredients and more water. Once it’s simmering away again simply add more rice noodles or other meat cuts to make a new meal.

Instant master stock noodle soup is a fun dish to play with; and don’t worry if you’re missing an ingredient or two, as it’s worth experimenting with alternative ingredients – results can be surprisingly good.

Instant Master Stock Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 6

2 litres water
2 tbsp of vegetable stock powder, or 4 chicken or vegetable stock cubes
6 green (spring) onions, washed and chopped into small sections
2 small red onions, cut into quarters
½ cup light soy sauce
½ cup dark mushroom soy sauce
1 cup shao xing wine OR rice wine vinegar
150g yellow rock sugar, crushed OR 2 tbsp brown sugar
⅓ cup ginger, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp sesame oil
2-3 star anise, whole
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tsp Chinese 5 spice
3 pieces dried mandarin peel or orange peel; or 1 tbsp orange marmalade
2 cups, sliced field mushrooms, (50%) shiitake mushrooms if available
2 chicken fillets (whole), skin off
375g package rice noodles

Method

1. In a stock pot add all ingredients except the rice noodles. Bring to the boil over a high heat.

2. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer to infused the stock and poach the chicken. Poach the chicken fillets for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile in a small saucepan, hard boil 3 eggs (see method below).

4. After 30 minutes, using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the stock and set aside on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, finely slice the fillets to make decorative, perfectly-grouped slices of four segments each. Alternatively, later return the chicken in the stock to cool before slicing, see note below.

5. Continue simmering the stock for a further 20 minutes, tasting to adjust sweetness and sour elements by balancing with little sugar, soy and/or spring onion. Further test the stock by tasting the tenderness and flavour of the mushroom pieces.

6. When you’re happy with the stock, add the rice noodles and cook in the stock for 15-20 minutes to soften and infuse with the stock flavours.

7. Remove stock pot from heat, ready for serving.

Note: For a more complete infusing of stock flavours within the chicken, return the chicken to the stock pot and allow it to cool slowly in the stock; refrigerate overnight.

To Serve

3 boiled eggs, cut into perfect halves
2 master stock chicken fillets cut into fine slices
2 green (spring) onions, washed and chopped on an angle into small sections and;
Thai styled fried shallots to garnish

Note: If you’ve chosen to refrigerate the master stock noodle soup and chicken overnight, remove chicken now and slice as per method above. Return stock pot to a medium heat to warm the master stock noodle soup.

1. In noddle bowls, evenly fill with cooked rice noodles topped with stock, ensuring generous amounts of ginger slices, onion, spring onion and mushrooms are added.

2. Arrange 4 slices of chicken on top of the soups, then place one half egg to one side.

3. Garnish with spring onion and fried shallots

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs

1. Cover 3 eggs in a saucepan with water: Fill a saucepan about a quarter of the way with cold water. Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of the saucepan. Add more water so that the eggs are covered by at least an inch or two of water.

2. Heat the pot on high heat and bring the water to a full rolling boil.

3. Turn off the heat, keep the pan on the hot burner, cover, and let sit for 10-12 minutes.

4. Strain the water from the pan and run cold water over the eggs to cool them quickly and stop them from cooking further.

5. Peel the eggs under a little running water, set aside to cool further.

Method

1. Line a large baking tray with cling film.

2. In a medium saucepan combine the caster sugar, liquid glucose, and 200ml of water.

3. Over a low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves to form a syrup.

4. Bring the syrup to the boil and continue boiling until the temperature reaches 115C (use a sugar thermometer to measure this). Remove from heat.

5. Add 200ml of water to a small bowl.

6. Sprinkle the gelatine powder over the water and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

7. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until the gelatine powder has dissolved.

8. Stir the gelatine water into the sugar syrup, mix well.

9. Using an electric mixer whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. While continuing to whisk, gradually pour in the sugar syrup and continue whisking for 10 more minutes. At this stage the egg whites will become thick and glossy.

10. Add vanilla bean paste to the thickened egg whites and mix well.

11. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the lined baking tray.

12. Refrigerate the marshmallow mixture for one hour to allow the marshmallow to set.

13. Remove marshmallow from refrigerator, dice into 2cm cubes and dust with icing sugar.

Serves 4

400g grated cheese (Emmentaler/Gruyère)
1 pear
1 apple
4 cloves
1 egg
4 fried eggs
3 tbsp apple cider
4 tbsp butter
1 French-style sourdough baguette, sliced at an angle

Preheat oven to 160C

Method

1. Thinly slice apple and pear and sauté in saucepan with butter and cloves until soft. Remove cloves then reserve the sauté for step 3.

2. Toast 4 slices of baguette and set aside.

3. In a bowl mix sautéed apple and pear with one lightly whisked egg and apple cider.

4. Place toasted baguette slices in 4 individual terracotta baking dishes, topped evenly with sautéed apple and pears and 100g of grated cheese.

5. Bake in moderate oven until cheese has melted (slowly) without colour.

6. Top each dish with a fried egg.

Pickled Cucumber

3 continental cucumbers
1 tsp black peppercorns
125ml water
125ml white wine vinegar
125g white sugar
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
½ long red chilli, deseeded, finely diced
½ bunch chopped dill
1 tsp salt

Method

1. Use a vegetable peeler to create cucumber ribbons, peel and all, but discarding the inner seeds.

2. In a medium saucepan add water, vinegar, sugar, black peppercorns, mustard seeds and bay leaf. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add diced chilli and chopped dill.

4. Allow pickling liquid to cool to room temperature then add cucumber ribbons and salt. Allow ribbons to marinate for 5 minutes.

5. Remove cucumber ribbons from the pickling liquid and serve.

Method

1. In a medium saucepan bring water to a gentle simmer, measure with a thermometer and check to 80C.

2. One at a time, crack each egg into a ramekin dish and pour it into a slotted spoon with small holes. Allow any watery egg white to drain through the slotted spoon, and discard it. The remaining egg white binds together and will not drain. This egg white has higher protein allowing it to form the perfect poached egg.

3. Lower the slotted spoon into the warm water and slide the spoon out from under the egg. Allow to poach for 4 minutes.

4. Remove the poached egg with the slotted spoon and place on paper towel to drain excess water.

To Serve

Season with salt and serve with potato rősti, buttered spinach, sautéed lardons of kaiserfleisch and poached asparagus.

Poached Heirloom Carrots
with toasted fennel seed and orange butter

One bunch heirloom carrots, peeled and washed with greens trimmed
150g butter, softened
Zest of one large orange
2 tbsp toasted fennel seeds
Sea salt and cracked pepper

Method

1. In a bowl, fold orange zest and fennel seeds through the butter. Allow time to infuse.

2. Poach carrots in nage stock for 3-4 minutes.

3. Sauté carrots in a pan with the orange and fennel seed butter.

To Serve

Season with sea salt and cracked pepper.