This is one of the best times of the year for the "green herbs" in my garden. Chives have been good for the last six weeks and are already budding. Wild garlic and welsh onions are growing well and the lovage is just putting up its first stalks. Although not in my herb garden, stinging nettles are also shooting up; they should be eaten before they flower. Yesterday I thought it was time for a simple spring green soup using about half of the herb garden plus some nettles.
The herbs in the picture (from foreground to background) are wild garlic, welsh onions, garlic chives, chives & lovage (on the left in front of the box hedge).
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 medium onions
2 cm cube of ginger
1 tbsp vegetable oil
large handful of wild garlic
handful of welsh onion
handful of garlic chives
handful of chives
1 sprig of lovage (be careful not to use too much otherwise the celery-like lovage taste will totally dominate)
large (gloved) handful of stinging nettles
1 litre chicken stock
salt & pepper
Method
1. Roughly chop the onions and finely chop the ginger and fry gently in a pot for 10 minutes
2. Roughly chop the herbs and add to the pot
3. Add the vegetable stock and heat until the leaves have wilted
4. Put the soup in a food processor and blend until smooth
5. Return the soup to a pot, season and bring to the boil
6. Serve.
The soup comes out bright green which is how my family liked it. Alternatively cream could be added. It should be quite healthy - wild garlic is good for high blood pressure and high cholesterol, nettles are high in vitamins and minerals.
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2008-04-07 @ 14:04