Grandma Glenda’s Chicken Soup

I’ve had quests for this simple chicken soup from so many people who enjoyed it at mum’s house - even all the way from France - so here it is.

Ingredients

1 whole organic or free range chicken well washed and dried with the breast removed (save these for later to make chicken schnitzel). You could also use ½ kilo chicken wings or even chicken carcasses from the butcher.
tablespoon of butter
1 onion finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
1 stick celery finely chopped
1 small turnip finely chopped
1 parsnip finely chopped
parsley stalks
salt
pepper
bay leaf
sprigs thyme
1/2 cup barley or 1/2 cup basmati rice
1 zucchini diced
1/2 tin organic cannellini beans (optional)

OR or home made egg noodles dropped in at the end (recipe for these follows)

Instructions

Cook the onion slowly in olive oil and butter.
Add the carrot, celery, parsnip and turnip and continue cooking for about 5- 10 minutes then add the chicken to the pot and allowing it to brown slightly (move the onion etc to the side so the chicken touches the bottom of the pot and lightly brown the skin)
Then add enough water to cover the chicken and add the grains (barley or basmati rice) parsley stalks and bay leaf - simmer slowly for 2-3 hours till the chicken falls off the bones.
Skim the fat off the top off the pot or the soup in the fridge overnight and lift off the fat when it has solidifies.
Heat the soup to a simmer and then add the diced zucchini (this bring a fresh green tone to the soup)
If adding the egg noodles (see recipe below) then this is the time to do it.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Tip: If you would like a heartier soup … Add 2 tablespoons almond meal and 1/2 tin cannellini beans at the same time as the zucchini and egg noodles above and simmer for 8 minutes.

Simple Egg Noodles for Soup

Eggs Noodle RecipeMy grandmother always made her own noodles by making a mound of ¾ cup plain flour, salt and pepper, then making a well in the center - then adding the egg and gradually (using a fork. or fingers) incorporate the flour till a dough forms. Knead well and roll until very thin into 2 circles about 30 cm. Lay on a tea towel till dry then slice thinly and drop into soup to cook through (about about 5 min before serving) or freeze in between layers of baking paper to use when needed. — **Eggs Noodle Recipe**
My grandmother always made her own noodles by making a mound of ¾ cup plain flour, salt and pepper, then making a well in the center - then adding the egg and gradually (using a fork. or fingers) incorporate the flour till a dough forms. Knead well and roll until very thin into 2 circles about 30 cm. Lay on a tea towel till dry then slice thinly and drop into soup to cook through (about about 5 min before serving) or freeze in between layers of baking paper to use when needed.

I like to freeze my egg noodles (shown here) in batches with baking paper in between so they’re always ready to drop into simmering soup.

Sicilian Focaccia

One of the memories I return to again and again (especially as we have been unable to travel for so long) is my time in Sicily at the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School which is where this wonderful fragrant focaccia recipe originates. It is a little different to the standard focaccia recipe because it is baked in a spring form tin and has white wine in the mix.

This recipe makes two medium focaccia’s which fits into 2 spring form tins. I like to bake one and freeze one in the tin. Then when I want to bake it I leave out till room temperature and then bake as normal. The focaccia in the image below was baked in a small baking tray and represents half of the dough.

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 kilo (7 cups) durum wheat flour
25 grams (3 tbsp) fresh yeast (I use 20gms Lowen dried yeast)
375 ml (1 ½ cups) warm (not hot) water
250 ml (1 cup) olive oil
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
1 tablespoon salt

For the top of the foccacia:

100 grams (3/4 cup) black olives, pitted
2 sprigs rosemary ·
A drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

Pour the flour into the bowl in a stream to separate the grains, then add the yeast, and start adding water (about 125 ml) to dissolve the yeast, mixing with your hands.

Mix in the olive oil until incorporated, then mix in the wine until incorporated, and add more water (about 125 ml). Add the salt and add more water if necessary.

Knead the dough for about 8 minutes (dough will be quite sticky), then transfer to a large oiled bowl and let rise, covered with a towel, in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°c (375°F).

Divide dough between 2 large round springform pans, cover and let rise for another 10 minutes.

Press in dough with your fingertips to make dimples in the dough. Place pitted olives on dough, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt, and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until golden.

“Weave” - the story behind this fabric design

This fabric was created using a small piece of the ‘Gum Nutty’ lino cut, which was repeated and inverted over and over again to achieve this distinctive woven pattern - clean organic lines with subtle undulations of light and dark, creating a electronic wave-like ripple.

I wanted to recreate a particular design sensibility with this pattern, which is influenced by the work and Charles and Ray Eames and the mobiles of Alexander Calder - simple, fluid and functional.

It is also inspired, on a more personal note, by a beach house (pictured below) my grandfather built after the war in Queensland in the early 1950’s with rooms full of filtered light through venetian blinds, natural hoop pine wall panels, low slung armchairs and a classic pink, yellow and blue kitchen. You can see influence of the pattern of light through the venetian blinds in the design itself and in the picture below.

It was a thrill, once the design had been printed on to fabric, to cover the day beds in the beach house which papa had made (paired with Bruce Goulds cushions) and see the designs “come home” to its inspiration. Although the house itself has now been demolished by its new owners (so sad), it is wonderful to have the memories of it live on in the fabric and come to life in homes everywhere.

Images of the beach house and furniture made by my grandfather below: day bed/bookcase, Christmas 1969 with my brother and sister and mama (see the peanut stool in the background), one of the original peanut stools, cedar day bed with arm chairs, Papa with my mother, Glenda Weldon and me - 1967), verandah day bed and nest of tables.