Recipe: Pea and Wild Garlic Soup

Recipe: Pea and Wild Garlic Soup

Wild garlic grows prolifically in British woodlands and can be harvested throughout March, April and May. We have swathes of it in our ancient woodlands at Wyken. 

It’s Latin name is Allium ursinum from ursus, meaning bear.  It was foraged by brown bears who awoke from winter hibernation and ate the plant to remove toxins and regain strength.

The Recipe 

It’s wonderfully simple.  You will need:

 An onion
100g butter
300g petit pois
300g wild garlic (alternatively 300g watercress)
600ml of vegetable stock

Sweat the diced onion in a little oil, until it has softened and taken a little colour.  Lightly cook the wild garlic in the same pan, adding half the butter.  Heat the peas in the other half until they defrost and are very lightly cooked.  

Add the stock and blend the ingredients together, seasoning well. Serve hot with a garnish of caramelised onion.  Or serve chilled with a drizzle of good olive oil, squeeze of lemon and a handful of torn mint.  You can also add a little cream to make it even more velvety.