This wild garlic soup is so deliciously pungent, just one spoonful transports me back to the forest floor of wild garlic where I picked it. I have added a topping of toasted almonds and sheep’s cheese for texture and contrast of flavour. You could use hazelnuts, brazil nuts or pine nuts instead of the almonds, and during other seasons, you can replace the wild garlic with spinach, watercress or wild nettle tops.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6
50g butter
300g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
100g onions, roughly chopped
l litre hot chicken or vegetable stock
200g wild garlic leaves, thoroughly washed and chopped
100ml double cream
sea salt and freshly ground black
pepper
FOR THE TOPPING
50g blanched almonds, toasted and chopped
80g sheep’s cheese, such as feta, crumbled
80ml extra virgin olive oil
wild garlic flowers, thoroughly washed, to garnish
METHOD
Place a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the potatoes and onions, stir well and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and leave the vegetables to sweat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the hot stock and wild garlic leaves and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Transfer the soup to a blender or food processor, or use a hand blender, and blend to a smooth consistency.
Return the soup to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and place over a medium heat for just 2 minutes to warm through.
Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the almonds, sheep’s cheese and extra virgin olive oil together in a small bowl.
Pour the soup into warmed bowls, spoon the almond and sheep’s cheese mixture on top of each serving and sprinkle with wild garlic flowers to garnish.
For more recipes from Clodagh McKenna, pick up a copy of this month’s issue of GALWAYnow!
