Recipes

The best things in life are free – this is certainly true for wild garlic, which is growing like a carpet under the trees in Glenshelane woods near Cappoquin – where  its pungent garlicky whiff fills the air. Last week I served this delicious soup at a special spring dinner at Dromana house on the Blackwater. Paul Flynn from the Tannery suggested the addition of green grapes - their sweetness offers a wonderful contrast to the peppery subtle garlicky flavour.

Serves 6

• 55g butter
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 225g Potatoes diced into 2cm pieces
• A handful of wild garlic, washed.
• 850ml of homemade chicken or vegetable stock
• 150mls of cream

To garnish

• Wild garlic flowers,
• A drizzle of wild garlic oil
• A tablespoon of toasted slivered almonds
• 12 green grapes, halved and deseeded.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and potato and sauté gently for 2-3 minutes, add the wild garlic and stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.

Blend the soup with a hand held blender, check for seasoning, add the cream and heat through.

Serve with a swirl of wild garlic oil, some toasted almonds and a pinch of toasted almonds, along with some green grapes.

Wild garlic oil

Wild garlic oil is delicious with soups, mixed through pasta and  drizzled over  roast lamb. It will keep for a week or two in the fridge.

• 100g wild garlic leaves
• 100ml Olive oil
• 100mls Sunflower oil
• Salt and pepper
• Blitz all ingredients together and store in the fridge.

Labels: Starters