Ingredients
150g (4oz) mixture of whatever you find amongst:
Nettle tops, spinach, chard, dandelion leaves, sorrel, land cress, chick weed and soft-leaved herbs such as fennel and sweet cicely. This soup can taste different every time you make it.
NB Use gloves whilst picking the nettles and whilst washing them. Once wilted they cannot sting you. Nettles have even more iron and vitamins than spinach
1 or 2 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
1 leek or medium onion finely sliced and chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
3 Tbsp mashed potato (or one good sized potato cooked from scratch)
1.5 L /3pt stock (or water with 3 stock cubes)
1 Tbsp veg oil
½ lemon, zest and juice (not needed if you have a lot of sorrel)
1-3 tsp honey
Freshly ground mixed peppercorns
150 ml (4oz) crème fraiche or yogurt or soured cream.
Method
1) Wash the green stuff, drain and chop it up finely.
2) In a large pan heat the oil and add the garlic, onion and celery. Cook over moderate heat until all is softened and slightly coloured.
4) Add the stock and green stuff and bring to the boil.
5) Add the mashed potato, honey, lemon zest and juice if using and stir well until smooth.
6) Adjust seasoning getting a balance of sweet, sour and savoury. If it seems bland try adding more herbs, vinegar or lemon juice, if too strong add more mash or some crème fraiche.
7) Serve with a swirl of crème fraiche in each bowl.
Mary Venning