Jun 01 2007
Nettle and Spinach Soup
A friend of mine, who has recently had to take on all the family cooking for the first time, looked at me in a puzzled way the other day and said “When you’re making soup where does the liquid come from?” Well, if you have never cooked before it’s a very good question! I laughed and explained about making stock,: take the meat off the cooked chicken, I said, put the carcass in a pot, fill the pot with water, add a bay leaf, some herbs, a carrot, an onion and put the whole thing in the bottom of your kitchen range and go to bed! “Goodness” he said and looked delighted.
Just then our conversation was interrupted, someone else spoke to me and our conversation on soup finished. But I overheard him pursuing the subject with a photographer friend of ours. “Where do you get the liquid from?” he asked again “A stock cube, of course!” I laughed to myself. It was like taking my happy snaps to Boots to have them processed when I know my friend works for hours printing to perfection in the dark room. So horses for courses, make your stock or use a cube!
The basis of soup is the same. Sweat vegetables slowly in a covered pan over a gentle heat in a little butter and oil until they are soft. If you want a thick soup add a potato or some rice and stir in a little flour. Omit these if you want a clear soup with bits! When the vegetables are just tender stir in the stock, simmer season and serve.
Nettle and Spinach Soup: take a large bag of young nettles, some spinach leaves and a little sorrel. Remember sorrel has a strong lemon flavour. Chop an onion, a medium potato and a carrot and a crushed clove of garlic and sweat as described above. Add the nettles, spinach and sorrel well washed, wilt in the oil and butter. Now stir in the chicken stock you made from the carcass or that stock cube. Bring to the boil, simmer for 5-8 minutes. Season and puree in the liquidiser or push through a mouli. Return to the pan ,reheat gently and stir in a little cream or crème fraiche. Check the seasoning again and serve sprinkled with chopped herbs.