TOMMY BANKS Make his warming, foraged nettle soup

Michelin-starred chef and two-time BBC Great British Menu winner, Tommy Banks, uses super seasonal foraged leaves to make a vibrant soup

Foraged soup

After a long winter, the prospect of something green is appealing and early foraged leaves are all punchy in flavour. Wild garlic, Jack-by-the-hedge (aka garlic mustard) and nettles are bitter eaten raw but when cooked, their flavour mellows. My grandma used to tell me how she had to eat nettle soup during the war and how disgusting it was. But she was converted by this rich, green soup which I made for her regularly. For more on foraged leaves, including where to find them, turn to page 121.

SERVES 4 PREP 20 mins COOK 20 mins EASY

50g Jack-by-the-hedge

200g wild garlic leaves

50g nettle leaves

125g butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

300g onions, finely chopped 400g red-skinned potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm dice

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped thyme leaves 700ml chicken stock

100ml whipping cream

150g goat’s curd or cheese, crumbled To serve drizzle of wild garlic oil (see right) handful of tiny garlic shoots or flowers and wild garlic leaves 1 Wash all the wild leaves separately. Bring a pan of salted water to a rolling boil, blanch the Jack-by-the hedge for 30 seconds, then refresh in iced water. Drain, squeeze out the excess water and set aside.

2 Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, potatoes, garlic and thyme, and season. Sweat for 5-10 mins, or until the potatoes start to break down and the mixture becomes starchy. Add the chicken stock and cream, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 mins, or until the potatoes are just tender and the mixture is starting to thicken.

3 Transfer the mixture (it should still be very hot) to a blender jug, pack in all the wild leaves, and fit the lid and the stopper. Blitz on full speed for a good 4-5 mins until the soup is extremely smooth and a vibrant green. Correct the seasoning if necessary, and strain through a fine sieve. Cool in a bowl set over ice if not eating straight away.

4 Pour the warm soup into serving bowls and top with a little goat’s curd. Serve with a drizzle of wild garlic oil and a few torn young garlic shoots or flowers and baby wild garlic leaves.

GOOD TO KNOW 2 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 642 kcals • fat 50g • saturates 31g • carbs 27g • sugars 7g • fibre 5g • protein 18g • salt 1.5g

Wild garlic oil

Once made, the oil will keep for a week or so in the fridge, but I recommend freezing it so you can use it all year round.

Pulse 1kg garlic leaves in a food processor until roughly chopped. Place the leaves in a clean cloth and squeeze out all the water until you are left with a dry ball of pulp. Transfer the pulp back to the food processor and blend with 300ml flavourless the oil (I use grapeseed) for 3 mins until thoroughly combined. Hang the garlic oil in a muslin cloth above a bowl and whatever drips through is ready to use. Makes about 350ml.