Yarrow - Challenge #1

So it's been a while... what with holidays, him upstairs' birthday, baby showers school holidays and the British weather living up to its damp name this summer I've barely had time to think, let alone write anything down.

However, thankful for a break in the weather I have been on my first forage for the ever elusive Yarrow, as part of the challenge I set myself earlier this month.  Getting Georgie on board was the easy bit.  Getting the slugs together we trundled up Blaen Brân in search of the little green plant.

Pickings were slim on the first leg of our journey, I am pretty sure that Georgie wiped the place clear of the stuff for her Yarrow antiseptic balm!  But we pressed on a  little further hit the jackpot!!!  The recipe stated 1 colander full.  This in itself was questionable.  How big is a colander?  You can get small ones and absolutely gigantic ones, so being true to myself, I guessed.

After harvesting the questionable 'colander' full, we continued to wander on up the mountain, crossing streams, walking through the forests.  I found myself asking why I don't come here more often.  I mean its practically on my doorstep.  The abundance of life, the greenery, the flora and fauna are all around, plus the children get to be in the 'great outdoors' running around pointing out various mushrooms that they shouldn't touch, climbing trees, getting throughly wet in streams and so on.

Please - if you don't have a go at the recipe, please take time out to visit this overlooked part of Wales and if you don't...do that take the time to visit the countryside, you may be surprised what you will find!

 So back at home I am on my first recipe from the book 'All Good Things Around Us' (published in 1982).  Yarrow Soup is the first.  Apparently, after reading the excerpt about Yarrow, a witch was tried in the 17th Century for using it in her 'incantations' for yarrow was thought to be under the influence of the devil!  And, among other superstitions yarrow could conjure the visions of a future sweetheart!

As this is the 21st century I think I'll stick with soup...

Yarrow Soup   Serves 4


1 colander yarrow leaves
1oz  butter
1 onion (chopped)
1 tbsp flour
1 pint of stock
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 pint of milk
nutmeg (optional - because nutmeg is rank)

Wash the yarrow leaves, place in a saucepan with just enough water to cover the bottom and cook gently for about 10 minutes (kind of like cooking cabbage or spinach) Drain and set aside.  Melt the butter and cook the chopped onions until soft.  Add the flour and make a roux with the onions and butter, gradually add the stock until thickened.  Add the yarrow leaves and seasoning and cook gently for 15 minutes.  Blitz with a hand processor of pass through a sieve.  Preheat the milk then add to the soup.  you can add the dreaded nutmeg just before serving, if that is your thing.

 To be honest, I had very low expectations of this soup being any good, especially as it was made with a bunch of weed leaves found growing on the side of the mountain.

The finished soup!

But lo and behold, it tasted really, really, really nice!!!!!  A triumph in fact!!!  So much so I will make it again very soon.  Can't really describe the taste, but a sort of cross between spinach and a very mild fennel flavour.  Bet it would make a good sauce with fish...

Onto the next recipe!  Love Melissa x