Sunday, July 29, 2007

Weekend Herb Blogging #93

Anna from Anna's Cool Finds is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I'll be looking at a member of the Allium family that's the cause of confusion

Spring Onion

This is a Spring Onion also known as Scallion and Green onion and in parts of Australia it's incorrectly called shallot and eschallot. I'm not one to point fingers at certain states *cough*New South Wales*cough* but this is not a shallot - I will admit that they are getting better at referring to it by the correct name.

Spring Onions are high in Fibre and Vitamins A, K and C, which is especially attractive if you are battling a cold as I am. They also contain Calcium, Copper, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Riboflavin and Thiamine.

There is something that always makes me feel better regardless of how under the weather I am - it's also super easy to make. Not much tops a comforting bowl of Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup. I've given this version an extra boost of ginger by infusing the stock with ginger slices - as ginger is a great anti-oxidant I think it can only do me good.

chicken and sweet corn soup

Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

1 litre chicken stock
4 slices ginger

6 spring onions/scallions
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
4 chicken thigh fillets, skinless, sliced finely
420 grams canned creamed corn
2 cups corn kernels
salt and freshly ground pepper
sesame oil
2 tablespoons corn flour mixed with a little water, optional, to thicken soup
1 egg white, lightly whisked with 1 tablespoon water

Place the chicken stock and sliced ginger into a pot and bring to a simmer so to allow the ginger to infuse into the stock.

Separate the white from the green parts of the spring onions. Slice both finely.

Heat a little neutral oil in a large pot and when it's come to temperature, add the sliced white part of the spring onion and the ginger. Let this gently sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken pieces - just add a quarter of the chicken at a time. When the chicken has changed colour, add the creamed corn and corn kernels.

Turn the heat up a little and stir this well before adding the stock (strain off the ginger slices). Add half the sliced green parts of the spring onion and let the soup simmer until the corn has cooked through.

Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper and a few drops of sesame oil.

If you prefer a thicker soup, then at this stage, stir in the mix of corn flour and water.

Just before serving add in the remaining sliced spring onion greens and while stirring the soup, drizzle in the lightly whisked egg white - this sets as soon as you add it to the soup so it's important to keep stirring to break it up and get a speckled finish.

chicken and sweet corn soup

With a few bowls of this, I'll soon be back at full strength - Many thanks go to all who have sent their well wishes.


17 comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 29, 2007

    Lovely recipe! Continue to feel better.

    Paz

    ReplyDelete
  2. If you were Jewish there'd be noodles in your soup. It looks great, Haalo. Now all I can smell is the chicken sweetcorn soup I used to get at Eleganza - a Cantonese restaurant in my area that's sadly no longer there :-(

    Get well soon!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was about to make chicken stock and I have all the rest of ingredients so I know what I am going to make for dinner tonight. Will keep you posted.
    Get well soon Haalo and have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Haalo, that really looks comforting. And a perfect way for me to use the leftover roast turkey (not that there is very much of it left). I feel like I am coming down with a cold (aargh!) but I am trying to stay strong....
    P/s: do u have a friand recipe on your blog? I didn't see it...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Haalo, this looks really superb! I'll have to try this one when it gets a little cooler here!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 30, 2007

    Ahh, I adore spring onions! I've seen/heard them referenced as shallots as well, something that made my eyes boggle (as it was a chef that did it at the time!), hopefully as it becomes more well known, people will refer to it by the right name!

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 30, 2007

    Gah! I've been known to call them shallots on occasion. Didn't realise it was a NSW thing :PP

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ooo, we grow allium gigantum (with huge purple blossoms) in our garden. I didn't know they're related to spring onions. Feel better soon!

    ReplyDelete
  9. With 7ºC here this would be perfect, Haalo!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This sounds really tasty. The photos look great. (I have always called them "green onions".)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Paz - I'm feeling better every day

    Thanks Trig - I feel your loss, it's sad when you favourite place closes.

    Thanks Rose - I do hope you enjoy it and thank you for your kind wishes.

    Thanks Nora - sounds like the christmas party was a success. Drink lots of chicken soup and it should keep the cold away. I have many friand recipes but haven't put any on the blog - I must change that!

    Thanks Anna - it's perfect for the cooler weather.

    Thanks Ellie - you would think a chef would know but I suppose it depends on where he trained.

    You aren't alone Y, I noticed Lyndey Milan on Fresh calls them shallots at times too, though they also seem to be calling them green onions

    Thanks Mercedes - the onions sound fabulous.

    I'd agree Patricia! Brrrrr!

    Thanks Kevin - green onions make sense.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sorry to hear you are not feeling that hot. Get better! Great photo of the onion, with the focus on the roots. Just fantastic. The soup also sounds very delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks Kalyn - I hope you are feeling better too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. What you say 4 slices of ginger, how thick and long do you mean?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Anon - with savoury food there's no need to be too pedantic, the slices were added to taste so the number needed would vary according to your preference.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Just wanted to ler you know that I made this soup)slightly adapted...I cooked the chicken in the stock and shred it later to add to soup) and it was the best chicken corn soup I've had ever...thanks a lot for the amazing recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks Nabeela - happy to hear you enjoyed it and you've reminded me that I should make this again, the weather here is certainly cool enough for it!

    ReplyDelete

© Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once | All rights reserved.
BLOG TEMPLATE HANDCRAFTED BY pipdig