Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Chicken and Udon Noodle Soup

It's been pretty cold lately, in case you hadn't noticed, or you're reading this from warmer climes. And I've been feeling it more than most over the last month after returning from northern hemisphere summertime humidity straight back into the depths of winter. Like many of us, I've been in hibernation mode of late as well as a little depressed to be back at work if I'm honest, not to mention sick too. Feel sorry for me, god damn it! But the upside to all this is comfort food, but also lots of quick and healthy meals that don't take too much effort after a long day of work.

In commiserations of the cold winter weather, here's a super quick and warming meal - and you probably can't get any easier than this as there's hardly any cooking! And if, like me, you use leftover chicken from a whole cooked chicken you bought on a Saturday from the supermarket, it's basically just assembling it. Give it a whirl on a week night when you're tired, but need something hot and nourishing.

This recipe is from the August issue of the Healthy Food Guide, which fortuitously arrived not long after I got home. It serves four - or two and lunch the next day.

2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
1 chilli, finely sliced (or dried chilli flakes, which I used as fresh chillis were crazy expensive)
2 x 200g packets of fresh - as in, not dried but still found on the supermarket shelf - udon noodles (you could also use dried rice vermicelli noodles too, but you'd need to cook them for a bit longer)
450g bag of coleslaw (either a pre-made bag from the supermarket, or make your own, depending on how energetic you're feeling)
1 bunch baby bok choy (spinach would also work, but bok choy has a great flavour for this sort of dish)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup coriander leaves


Put 2 cups of water onto heat and add the chicken stock, garlic, chilli and noodles when it's boiling. Simmer for 1 minute to soften the noodles, longer if they're dried). I recommend warming the bowls before the next step. Put the coleslaw, bok choy and chicken in four bowls and then divide the noodles between the bowls. Ladle the broth over the top and cover for a few minutes to allow the chicken and veggies to heat through - the veggies will be best when they are still a bit crunchy. Garnish with coriander and extra chilli if you like. The flavours are all spicy and fresh and it's just so perfect for a cold winter night. If you're making it for two with leftovers for lunch the next day, just make the full amount of stock liquid and take that to work with the chicken and veggies in a separate container. Just microwave the stock and noodles the next day, add the chicken and veggies, cover and warm through. Next time I might add baby corn - so good in Asian dishes. It's a little hard to eat on your lap though - I don't know about you guys but we've abandoned eating at the table in the dining room for the warmth of the living room. 


The last couple of weeks I've been Wellington on a Plate-ing it up like a mo' fo' - so next time, I'll tell you all about that. And share something good for the slow cooker - perhaps the most valuable kitchen implement for lazy winter time cooking.

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Review: Havana

It was birthday a couple of months back (ok, so I started this post before I went away on holiday). My parents offered to treat us to dinner and I chose Havana, a bit of an institution in Wellington. It's situated inside two historic and colourful workingmen's cottages just off vibrant Cuba Street in the city. It's a great place for cocktails and music but despite having whiled away many an evening in the dimly lit garden terrace over drinks and bar snacks, I've never eaten in the restaurant.

We arrived early, as they don't take bookings for small groups on Friday and Saturday night, and the restaurant is quite small. We were seated straight away and even moved to a slightly bigger table when we requested it. It was dark, but a nice, cosy atmosphere which hummed as it filled up with more people. Unfortunately dark also means terrible lighting for mobile phone photos.

It's a tapas style menu so we ordered several things to share - four each of the smaller and bigger tapas and a couple of sides, which was plenty for the four of us...we may have also had dessert, just to tip us right over the edge.

Crisp haloumi on grilled bread
I won't subject you to everything we ate, to save your keyboard from drool but instead give you my favourite choices of the night. Of the smaller tapas, the crisp haloumi with sweet red pepper relish and rosemary oil on grilled bread and the slow roasted crispy chicken wings with a coriander and green chilli chutney were top choices. Who doesn't love haloumi, and the sweetness of the relish went so well with it. I don't normally go for chicken wings, as they are often a bit too much hard work for not much reward, but the coriander and green chilli chutney was off the hook - not very spicy, and really fresh tasting - a bit like a salsa verde.


Chicken pie


Of the larger tapas, the pan fried fish with bouillabaisse sauce, croutes and rouille was excellent - the fish was cooked beautifully. The chicken pie with fino sherry, house puff pastry and herbed baby carrots was comfort food at its best and special mention goes to the char grilled aged beef fillet skewers with a smokey red pepper and bay marinade, which were potentially the most tender beef skewers I have ever had.

For dessert, we managed to fit in the apple, feijoa and peanut butter crumble with a lemon bay cream. This was enjoyable, but it wasn't really anything special. I really like peanut butter and crumble, but just not together - the peanut butter flavour just didn't work with the fruit as well as I'd expected.

I washed it all down with a sloe gin fizz to start, followed by a glass each of the Pretty Paddock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the Explorer Central Otago Pinot Noir. Pretty safe choices, I know.

The food was delicious, the atmosphere warm and intimate and I loved the tapas style of eating - a nice way to enjoy a family dinner. I'd love to go back, but it was fairly pricey so it's definitely a place to be saved for a special occasion - or maybe just next time mum and dad are paying!

Apple, feijoa and peanut butter crumble
Havana Bar
32a-34 Wigan St
Te Aro
Wellington, New Zealand