Put 6 cups water, the beans, barley, garlic, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf, 11/2 tablespoons salt, herb blend, some pepper and porcini mushrooms (if using) in a slow cooker. Squeeze the tomatoes through your hands over the pot to break them down, and add with their juices. Cover and cook on high until the beans are quite tender and the soup is thick, about 8 hours.
Add the spinach and cheese, and stir until the spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
Cut the whole chicken into serving-size pieces or use 8 chicken drumsticks. If you use a whole chicken, use a meat cleaver to cut the chicken into pieces small enough to easily mix while sautéing. Do the same for the rabbit.
Snails should be thawed, clean and ready to cook.
Finely chop the garlic. Cut each tomato into 8 pieces. Rinse the green beans and snap them in half. Cut off any blemishes.
If you are using fresh artichokes, trim tops of leaves and cut off bottom stem. Cut artichokes in quarters, length-wise. If you are using canned artichokes, open and drain the artichokes. Set all vegetables aside.
1 ripe papaya, peeled and sliced (with seeds removed) - see recipe below for further instructions
1/2 to 1 cucumber, sliced
approx. 1 cup cooked prawns, OR substitute deep-fried tofu if vegetarian
1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if the leaves are large
Optional garnish: a few edible flowers, such as nasturiums or pansies
SALAD DRESSING: (this recipe can be doubled or tripled if making a very large salad)
2 heaping Tbsp. thick coconut milk (buy good-quality coconut milk and take from the top of the can)
2 Tbsp. oil (a light vegetable oil like canola works well)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce (OR 3 Tbsp. soy sauce if vegetarian/vegan)
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 heaping tsp. brown sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp. chili sauce (or more if you prefer a spicier dressing)
Instructions:
Stir all 'Dressing' ingredients together in a cup. Make sure shrimp paste and honey dissolve fully. Taste-test for sweetness and spice, adding more honey or chili to taste. Set aside.
Use a sharp knife to peel the green papaya, then slice it in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds. Using the largest grater you have, grate the papaya, or you can use a potato peeler to create thin, ribbon-like strips. Place in a large bowl.
Add sliced tomato, spring onion, chili/cayenne, bean sprouts, green beans (if using), shrimp or tofu (if using) and most of the basil. Pour over the dressing, tossing well to combine.
Add nuts and toss again. Taste-test the salad. If not sweet enough, add a little more honey or a sprinkling of sugar. If not flavorful enough, add a little more fish sauce or soy sauce. If too sweet or salty, add more lime juice. Add more chili for a spicier salad.
To serve, scoop into individual bowls or onto serving plates. Top with remaining basil leaves plus fresh coriander and a sprinkling of more nuts.
1 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, to serve200g raw prawns
small pack coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
2 x 200g packs straight-to-wok pad Thai noodles
85g beansprouts
1 egg, beaten with a fork
juice 1 lime, plus wedges to serve
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp sugar
Instructions:
Dry-fry the prawns and coriander stalks in a non-stick frying pan for 1-2 mins until the prawns are just pink. Add the noodles, beansprouts, egg, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Quickly toss together for 1 min more until the egg is just cooked and everything is well mixed – you might want to use a pair of tongs to make this easier.
Remove from the heat, mix in most of the coriander leaves, then divide between 2 bowls. Scatter with the remaining coriander and the peanuts, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
handful each mint, basil and coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions:
Roughly chop the lemongrass, lime leaves, red chillies, garlic and ginger, then throw them all into a processor and blitz until everything is very finely chopped together. Mince the chicken breasts into tiny pieces.
Heat a wok over a high heat and add the vegetable oil and the sesame oil. Throw in the lemongrass mixture and fry briefly before adding the minced chicken and the chilli powder. Stir-fry the chicken for 4 mins then splash in the fish sauce. Turn down the heat a little and allow the chicken and fish sauce to bubble together for another 4 mins, stirring, then add the chopped red onion and cook for another min.
Remove from the heat, pour over the lime juice and toss in the herbs. Serve with the salad veg and a lime wedge on the side.
1 lemongrass stalk, bruised and cut into large pieces
5 thick slices galangal
3 coriander roots or 6 stems, bruised, plus leaves to garnish
3 lime leaves, torn
6 large prawns, shelled
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
6 small green chillies, chopped
4 tbsp lime juice
Instructions:
Bring the stock to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the lemongrass, galangal, coriander roots and lime leaves, then simmer for 2 mins.
Add the prawns, fish sauce, chillies and lime juice, then return to the boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with either more lime juice or fish sauce, then garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
