By Sophia Young – Kitchen Manager at Embercombe
With this glorious, budding shift into Spring, there is an abundance to be found, shooting forth from the ground, most especially in the unkempt places. Here you can find nettles that are calling to be plucked and often by a water’s edge, wild garlic.
And this broth is a wonderful tonic for the betwixt-ness in wellbeing that we find ourselves in such transition from one season to another. Whilst sunshine and a beautiful peppering of warmer days, enables our bodies to yield, soften and relax a little, the sudden chillier breezes and frosty spells, may turn our focus and yearning inward again. With this, colds and sneezes, dry tickles and coughs will often emerge, so the modest nourishment to be enjoyed in this bowl of goodness, will hopefully re- kindle cockles as we step gradually towards and embody, the hope that Spring carries on her branches and within her wings.
The inspiration:
x 3 large white onions
x 2 medium courgettes
a dozen or so new potatoes
x 1 blub of garlic
x 1 can of butter beans
x 2 handfuls of wild garlic
x 2 handfuls of nettles
x 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds
x 1 tablespoon of Boullion
salt, pepper
The magic:
With much simplicity, place sliced onions, quartered potatoes, 1” cubed (or thereabouts) courgette into a large roasting tray with naked garlic cloves, caraway, salt, pepper and oil. To allow the juices to seep out whilst roasting, use a lid for the tray or alternatively, cover with silver foil. Pop in the oven at 200 and roast for 45-60 minutes, turning now and again.
Once soft and velvety, add butterbeans, roughly chopped wild garlic and nettle leaves. Return to oven for 20 minutes to wilt down then add enough stock to just about cover the veg. The beauty of this broth is liquid is minimal so avoid drowning your friends in the tray. Place back in the oven for 20-30 mins, without a lid so the spuds, beans et al, absorb the stock whilst cooking. Add a wee drop of more
stock if required. And – ta da, audacious health and ease in a bowl!