- 200g wild garlic leaves
- 50g nettle leaves
- 50g jack-by-the-hedge
- 125g butter vegetable oil
- 300g white onions, diced
- 400g red-skinned potatoes, rinsed and cut
- into 5mm
- dice 2 garlic cloves, minced 1
- tbsp chopped thyme leaves
- 700ml chicken stock
- 100ml whipping cream 1
- 50g goat’s curd or cheese, crumbled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To serve: drizzle of wild garlic oil (page 52) handful of tiny garlic shoots or flowers and wild garlic leaves
Foraged Soup by Tommy Banks
Tommy Banks
4th April 2018
Foraged Soup by Tommy Banks
SERVES 4
My grandma used to tell me how she had to eat nettle soup during the war and how disgusting it was. But she was converted by this rich
and green soup, and I made it for her regularly. Just be sure to make it on the
day as it does not stay fresh for long.
ROOTS by Tommy Banks, 5th April 2018, hardback, £25, Seven Dials
Ingredients
Method
Wash all the wild leaves separately. Bring a pan of salted
water to a rolling boil, blanch the jack-by-thehedge for 30 seconds and refresh
in iced water. Drain, squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
Melt the butter with a little oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, potatoes,
garlic and thyme, and season with salt and black pepper. Sweat for 5–10
minutes, or until the potatoes start to break down and the mixture becomes
starchy. Add the chicken stock and
cream, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, or
until the potatoes are just tender and the mixture is starting to thicken.
Transfer the mixture (it should still be very hot) to a blender jug, pack in all the wild leaves,
and fit the lid and the stopper. Blitz
on full speed for a good 4–5 minutes
until the soup is extremely smooth and a
vibrant green. Correct the seasoning if necessary, and strain through a fine sieve. Cool in a
bowl set over ice if not eating straight away.
Pour the warm soup into serving bowls and top with a little goat’s curd. Serve with a drizzle of
wild garlic oil and a few torn young garlic shoots or flowers and wild garlic
leaves.
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