egg Archives · alanabread

Chicken + Corn + Egg Soup (Revisited)

April 15, 2012 in Soups + Salad | 20 comments

Back in July I posted this chicken, corn and egg soup recipe. LOLOL, right? Besides the obviously thoughtless styling please allow me to explain my revisiting of this post. I’m in my third year of university (Bachelor of Digital Media) and for my final project I’ve (foolishly?) proposed to design and photograph my very own cookbook. It’s pretty exciting. Here’s a working cover:

Playing the role of both chef, stylist and photographer really takes its toll to the point I’ve been flailing and shouting about never wanting to be a photographer anymore, ever. However I must always keep in mind this is all for the greater good despite the fact I’ll never be able to sit and enjoy my lunch without having spent an hour taking photos of it for the next seven months. Most entries you’ve seen this year will be compiled in my book so THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH to everybody who has offered kind and constructive words re: photography. Keep it coming. And don’t get afraid to get nasty; I’m used to getting my butt kicked at uni so if you see something you don’t like please go nuts with it.

On to the food; my prior entry explained this soup came about whilst I was very, very ill but this time around I’ve spared a little more effort to transform this into a more graceful dish (using real stock this time, not the supermarket type! Wow!); someone on Pinterest even mentioned I should probably have chicken pieces in here, so thanks for your feedback! I have delivered. This should serve around four friends.

Chicken + Corn + Egg Soup
(an original recipe)

1L chicken stock (please refer to this recipe)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs ginger, minced or finely grated
2x 420g cans creamed corn
1 tbs soy sauce
2 eggs
1 tbs corn flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped shallots, to serve

1. Prepare chicken stock as per these instructions. Once drained and cooled remove chicken from the bones, lightly shred and reserve for later.
2. In a medium-sized pot sizzle the ginger in sesame oil until fragrant. Add the stock, creamed corn and soy sauce and stir to combine.
3. In a small bowl combine cornflour with equal part water and stir until dissolved. Pour into soup and stir – this works as a thickening agent.
4. In another small bowl whisk the two eggs. Slowly pour in them in ensuring the soup is hot so they cook almost immediately. This will create a lovely, light weave of egg throughout your soup.
5. Ladle out in bowls and adorn with a generous pinch of shredded chicken reserved from earlier. Garnish with chopped shallots and cracked pepper.

Let’s get these bad boys side-by-side; here’s a comparative image from August 2011 to now illustrating a significant improvement of styling and photo editing. Funny how I used to think the photo on the left was the bees knees:

… and in another year’s time I’ll probably be looking back at these photos having a solid laugh too (in fact I’m already finding reasons to dislike them – I’m still clumsy with dark coloured backgrounds). At least it’s comforting to know there’s always room for growth and improvement, right?

PS. On a completely unrelated note – does anybody here use Instagram? Since it’s now available for Android I’ve completely jumped aboard, let’s be friends! My username is bananasoiree.

Tags: chicken, corn, egg, ginger

Poached Eggs + Avocado on Toast

January 14, 2012 in Savoury Meals | 11 comments

Sydney Inner-West living. Girls on Tumblr. Cafés and iPhones. What do these four things have in common? They’ve heightened the trendy awareness of the delightful combination of eggs and avocado. I say this without the least hint of cynicism… promise.

It only occurred to me last week I had never poached an egg in my life, and, being only two weeks shy of turning 25, this was something that needed to be rectified immediately. Avocado on toast is one of life’s most wonderful pleasures (especially combined with egg, a meaningful love of my life). With this tasty breakfast we’re able to skip the dairy-middle-man as the avocado operates in lieu of butter whilst poaching runny eggs in a dash of vinegar denies any need for over-creamy scrambled eggs (a true pet hate of mine). The bread I’m using is, uhh, Tip-Top 9 Grain something-something, if I recall correctly. No fancy sourdoughs here, this is just happy, healthy and honest breakfast cooking for one; there’s no better way to begin a Saturday morning in my eyes (or stomach)!

Poached Eggs + Avocado on Toast

2 slices of bread of your choosing

2 eggs

2 tbs vinegar

1 avocado

Salt + pepper

1. Prepare your avocado by halving, scooping the flesh out with a spoon and slicing into wedges. Prepare a small bowl of cold water. Crack your first egg into another small bowl.

2. Fill a wide pot with water, add vinegar and heat until simmering. With a slotted spoon swirl the water in one direction to create a little whirlpool effect. Carefully pour your egg into the centre of the whirlpool and allow to cook for 2 1/2 minutes for a runny yolk (try a little longer if you prefer your eggs a little firmer).

3. Once your egg is ready carefully remove with a slotted spoon and place into the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Prepare your other egg with the above process. To warm them up again, place in another clean pot of warm water and allow to stand for 30 seconds to a minute. Remove once again with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Place your bread in the toaster, or under a grill, for a minute or two.

4. Arrange sliced avocado on toast and sprinkle with salt. Carefully place a poached egg on each slice and season with cracked pepper.

And now I’m ready to face the day.

Tags: avocado, egg, toast

Chicken + Corn + Egg Soup (For the Sick and Sad)

August 18, 2011 in Soups + Salad | 4 comments

Chest infection. Fever. Missing hours of class spending my days looking ugly and coughing my lungs out in bed. Welcome to my pyjama-clad week! Thankfully there comes a time in every illness however where one finally musters the strength to tear off the snuggie of oppression and eat something that isn’t dry cereal. My friends, it’s soup time.

I’m never an advocate for the “quick ‘n’ easy” recipe however I was in dire need of warmth and nourishment. For this recipe I would always suggest using homemade chicken stock and fresh ginger, however when you’re struggling to breathe the Campbell’s “Real Chicken Stock” sitting in the back of your cupboard begins to look mighty tempting. Forgive me, soup lords, this will never happen again!

Depending on your serving size this will feed anywhere between 4 and 8 people (or alternatively one very sick girl over the course of a few days).

Chicken + Corn + Egg Soup

(an original recipe)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbs ginger, minced

1L chicken stock

2x 420g cans creamed corn

1 tbs soy sauce

2 eggs

1 tbs corn flour

salt + pepper to taste

1. In a large, heavy based soup pot sizzle your ginger in sesame oil until fragrant.

2. Add the chicken stock, creamed corn and soy sauce and stir to combine.

3. In a small, separate bowl whisk your eggs. When the soup begins to boil slowly pour in your egg mixture. This will create a lovely, light weave of egg throughout your soup.

4. Again in a separate bowl combine corn flour with an equal part of water and combine well until it forms a loose paste. Slowly pour into your soup whilst stirring – this works as a thickening agent.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now if you’ll excuse me – I’m off to see how many episodes of Curb your Enthusiasm I can watch before I fall asleep out of antibiotic-induced exhaustion (my current record is one and a half).

Tags: chicken, corn, egg, soup