Thursday 30 March 2017

Wild garlic and nettle soup

foraging for food


It was a lovely sunny day today, and I was pottering around the garden, mostly admiring the plum blossom and hyacinths rather than doing anything useful like weeding or seeping the paths. I have also noticed the nettles in the corner of the garden.
Being fed up with sandwiches or leftovers for lunch, I decided to make a light spring greens soup.
I have picked a few green shoots of garlic from the strawberry patch and several leaves of wild garlic.

foraging


I have planted wild garlic three or four years ago, and despite people telling me I'd regret it, as it would spread like fire, it doesn't seem to thrive in my garden. It has slightly spread, but in such small amounts, that I would count it as too precious for everyday use. Any tips on making it actually spread? I'd rather have wild garlic than much hated ground elder.

foraging for food


To make a light spring greens soup, you will need

1 small to medium potato
1 small-ish carrot
1tbsp red lentils
1 stock cube (vegetable)
1 celery stick
a handful of fresh nettle tops, chopped
several leaves of fresh garlic greens and wild garlic
1tsp fresh parsley, chopped finely
sea salt

Peel the carrot and chop finely. Slice the celery stick. Peel and chop the potato.
Put all the vegetables and lentils in the pan, cover with hot water and bring to boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the nettle tops, fresh chopped garlic leaves and wild garlic in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Season well with sea salt.
Serve with a nice chunk of bread. It is also lovely with a tablespoon of Greek style yogurt stirred in it.
For a vegan version, skip the yogurt, though it is much-much nicer with the yogurt or soured cream. I haven't tried soy yogurt in soup, so cannot vouch for its taste.

And it was a delightful light spring-flavoured soup, so easy to make.

foraging for soup

3 comments:

  1. I love how simple and beautiful this is, just full of the best bits of the season.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Early greens are my favourite, they are lovely and flavourful.

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  2. I dont have in our small garden so have picked a lot in our local park and will make asoup too :)

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