My darling girls, remember when you were little and I told you that I wished I could keep you in a bubble forever? A lovely soft world where nastiness and jealousy were kept out. Now that you’ve grown and have experienced, first hand, the inability some people have for genuine kindness, I hope you understand. It was never my intention to keep you to myself but rather to protect you from hurt. The thought of someone begrudging you a moment of happiness, for whatever their self-possessed reason might be, is and always has been out of my hands. I was never going to be able to protect you from those who sooth their own pain by lashing out. I can only offer you this: embrace madly, all that you love. Laugh so the angels can hear you. Live with dignity and honour. For those who speak poorly of you or wish you harm, know that they are locked behind a wall of impenetrable disappointment in themselves. Their negativity has nothing to do with you. If you can do this, then in a way, we are living in our bubble…
LOVAGE seemed like the obvious herbal choice to follow my ‘cyber mothering’ today. It’s a new world – if mothering needs to happen via cyberspace so be it! The name ‘lovage’ is from “love-ache”, ache being a medieval name for parsley. It’s a perennial celery tasting herb that grows over six feet high every summer. Adding it to the classic vichyssoise completely changes what is already a superb soup. You’ll have depth from the potato and leek combination then the lovage takes you completely sideways to a fresh zingy place. It’s incredible!
LOVAGE VICHYSSOISE
SERVES 4-6
3 tablespoons butter
1 leek, white and light green parts, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 quart chicken broth – unsalted
3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large bunch (2 oz) lovage leaves (chopped fine)
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
THE STEPS:
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat.
- When it froths, reduce the heat to medium and stir in leek, garlic and yellow onions.
- Sauté until fragrant, about five minutes.
- Pour in chicken stock and stir in chopped potatoes.
- Simmer, covered, about thirty minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Stir in lovage and simmer, covered, a further five or six minutes.
- Remove from heat and blend in batches in your food processor or use an immersion blender.
- Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Swirl in a spoonful of sour cream and serve.
THE LOVE: Unlike many soups, this one is best served the day it’s made!
one year ago: green curry cashew dip
two years ago: grilled strip loin with tiny pea shoots
three years ago: spicy char-crusted beef
Thanks for reading.
