Weed Soup

[Comfreyfan]

Well actually the recipe I saw was for lettuce and weed soup. It said you could use lettuce which has bolted and suggested sorrel, nettles, dandelions, chickweed and groundsel, I've found another recipe on the web that suggests using ground elder. Has anyone ever tried this? I like the idea of being able to use up weeds. Although my recent lettuce and pea pod soup wasn't my greatest triumph, a bit like the courgette muffins and strawberry curry (don't ask)

[sewer rat]

It said you could use lettuce which has bolted and suggested sorrel, nettles, dandelions, chickweed and groundsel,

Sounds as if it might be worth a try for my Farmers Market soups in the back end of the year , when I will be doing my "hedgerow preserves" - rowan jelly, bramble jelly, rosehip syrup and haw jelly.
There is one weeed in particular which seems to love all the pig slurry added this spring - chickweed - never seen so much of the stuff as this year.

[Two_Sheds]

Lettuce & Weed Soup

I've just found this recipe in Andi Clevely's excellent book 'The Allotment Seasonal Planner'

Lettuce & Weed Soup
serves 4

1 large lettuce
8oz young mixed weeds: sorrel, chickweed, nettles, groundsel
1oz butter
8oz onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
15oz water/stock
1 tsp Marmite

Gently fry onions in butter for 5 mins. Add veg, saute for 5 mins or so. Add water/stock, bring to boil then reduce heat & simmer for about 20 mins

[Flummery]

Can't see why not. They are all edible plants that were valued generations ago for their vitamin C content. I've certainly eaten chickweed - the problem is that you need a bucketful for 4 small servings!

[Hilary B]

I've cooked ground elder. Disguised it in a tomato-and-ground-elder soup to avoid upsetting my fussy husband. It added an interesting flavour. I know nettles are nutritious (so did my goats, when we had some) and I've often eaten dandelion leaves (in salad). Not sure about groundsel (recognising it for a start). Sorrel was a favourite 'field nibble' for all the kids (not just mine) when we lived in Orkney. They simply called it 'sour leaves'.

[Two_Sheds]

Not sure about groundsel (recognising it for a start).

I bet you do know it!

[Hilary B]

I bet you do know it!

You see, to me that looks like a cousin of ragwort, which is highly toxic to grazing animals, so yes, I've had it pointed out, but the similarity worries me....


Checked, and it IS related to ragwort. I think I'll leave it for budgies.....

[Two_Sheds]

The flowers are indeed similar, but ragwort's leaves are much bushier/ more feathery.
It's also much taller ... groundsel is a little thing, about 6 inches tall. It's fed to budgies.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/n...es/ragwort.jpg

[beckibrown]

How about nettle and potato soup? You take the new leaves, cook them on a low temperature in a bit of butter then add boiled potatoes and vegetable stock.

[Hilary B]

The flowers are indeed similar, but ragwort's leaves are much bushier/ more feathery.
It's also much taller ... groundsel is a little thing, about 6 inches tall. It's fed to budgies.
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/n...es/ragwort.jpg

I am very familar with ragwort, and groundsel is indeed a related plant (I checked). The budgies can have it as far as I am concered. Senecio species (there are 4 kinds of ragwort) are toxic, causing liver damage.