I’m finding wild garlic is around earlier with each coming year. We had some on the menu at River cottage in January. This wonderful plant, also known as ‘Ramsons’ can be found in the dappled shade of established woodlands, in damp meadows, along stream banks and in shady hedges. When its young it’s sweet and its emerald green leaves are unmistakable.
Wild garlic gives this soup great flavour and if you can get the tiny little bulbs at the base of the plant then so much the better.
Serves
4 – 6 people
Ingredients
- A little olive oil
- 1 large or 2 smaller onions finely sliced
- 4 or 5 wild garlic bulbs, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
- 200g chorizo sausage sliced into rounds
- 1 litre of good light chicken stock
- A handful of freshly picked wild garlic leaves shredded
- A handful of young kale leaves shredded
- 4 – 6 slices of 2-3 day old sourdough or similar
- Flat leaf parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper
Method
Warm a heavy based saucepan on the hot plate; fry the sliced chorizo with a little olive oil. After 2 or 3 minutes add the sliced onion and sliced wild garlic bulbs (if you have them) and season with salt and pepper. Continue to fry off without colouring for a further 7- 8 mins or until soft.
Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes, mean while toast the pieces of sour dough on each side. This can be done directly on the Esse hot plate.
At this point you can add the garlic leaves and kale to the simmering pan. Cook for 5 minutes. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning.
To serve, place a piece of toasted sourdough in a large soup bowl and ladle over the hot soup. Finish with a trickle of good olive oil and some chopped flat leaf parsley.
