Thai style broth with herby steak

I am calling this "the last supper", for the past year a great friend of mine has stayed once a week and last night was her last visit (sad face). Each week I've tried making something healthily and tasty while we chatted about her up coming nuptials, life, love and fruit of the loom.

She said that this meal was "undoubtably the best". Originally I didn't think Alison would care much for it but I should of known better because she devoured it and was kept entertained trying to slurp up the noodles. So all in all a winner winner steak dinner.

The broth

1 white onion roughly chopped

2 sticks celery roughly chopped

Knob of ginger grated

1/2 stick lemongrass finely sliced

1 clove garlic smushed

Baby sweetcorn (as much as you like)

Asparagus tips (as before)

1 Bok Choi

2handfuls sugar snap peas

Chestnut mushrooms about a handful roughly torn apart

3 spring onions

2 kafir lime leaves

1 fresh lime

1 beef or veg stock cube (I use the organic Kallo ones)

3/4 litre boiling water

1 tblsp soya sauce

1tblsp fish sauce

Noodles if your choice I used vermicelli because I had some but soba or rice would be yum too.

Gently sweat the onion, garlic, ginger and lemongrass (fresh chilli would be lovely at this point too).

Next add the stock cube and water and bring to the boil gently. I turned off the heat at this stage and added the sauces and everything else except the mushrooms and noodles. 

In a small frying lightly fry the mushrooms in some butter to give them some nice flavour. 

About five minutes before serving fish out the lime leaves, turn the heat on gently and add in the noodles and mushrooms. Give a generous squeeze of line juice and taste. You may like some more soya or fish sauce or line juice so experiment a little. Once the noodles are cooked and the veggies still have a little bite to them, slosh into bowls and sprinkle with spring onions and fresh basil. 

You will feel surprisingly full and fabulously healthy after this I can assure you.

The steak

I use 2 pieces if strip loin steak at room temperature seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil. 

Cook the meat to your own liking.

While it's resting take a chopping board and smushed a clove of garlic with some salt and oil on the board. Next finely chop  a handful if fresh herbs. I used basil, purple sage, thyme and oregano. Spread this mixture around the board with some more olive oil. 

Slice the meat as thick/thin as you like and coat with the herby deliciousness, pile high and dig in.

Serving suggestion

2 bowls of broth, 2 plates and lots of slurping. Just dig in.