We are so lucky at Blackwell House to have wild garlic growing on our doorstep. Mind you, it’s no surprise that it’s called by many names - ‘Devils garlic’, ‘Stinking Jenny’ as it gives off an incredibly pungent smell in the wild.
However when wild garlic is in season we know we can top up on so much natural goodness.
With antibacterial, antibiotic, vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and copper it is definitely worth making a few pots of soup.
Unlike normal garlic bulbs, it's the leaves that are eaten rather than the bulbs. The taste is more delicate too, similar almost to the flavour of chives.
As usual if you have any problems following the recipe please contact me. Joyce
When I make soups I admit I normally add a hand full of this and a wee drop of that but here's a recipe you can follow ...
Method:
Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed pan and sauté the leeks on a gentle heat for 10 to15 minutes until soft (but not coloured)
Add the potatoes, cover with hot stock about 2cm above the mixture and bring to the boil.
When the ‘spuds’ are starting to soften add the wild garlic and broccoli and season with salt and pepper.
Cook for a further 10 minutes.
Liquidise the soup with the milk and parmesan cheese until smooth or you can leave it more textured if you wish. Add more milk if the soup is too thick.
Finally just before serving, heat your soup until piping hot , add the roughly-chopped parsley and serve in a warm bowl.
Why not serve with a little crème fraîche, wild garlic and parsley oil and garlic croutons
If you can’t get wild garlic don’t worry, you can substitute three garlic bulbs crushed and an extra 250g of broccoli to make a wonderful tasty healthy soup
Why not change the flavours to make a different soup - add stilton cheese instead of parmesan, if you don’t like cheese remove it and add some single cream or creme Fraiche instead.
INTERESTING FACT: Studies have also shown that it may help reduce blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. Interestingly, although all types of garlic have these benefits, wild garlic is thought to be the most effective at lowering blood pressure.
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