Feuilles de Consoude Farcies (Stuffed Comfrey Leaves)

Ingredients:

15 comfrey leaves
150g common hogweed shoots and young leaves
60g creamy goat's cheese
75g firm goat's cheese
200g mixed grain (eg: pearl barley, rice, quinoa, millet, oatmeal, sesame seeds)
1 vegetable stock cube
salt, freshly-ground black pepper and freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
60ml balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
80ml water

Method:

Strip the leaves from the hogweed shoots. Chop 70g of the leaves into fine pieces and set aside. Cut the shoots and petioles (leaf stems) of the hogweed into 2cm lengths then bring 1l of water to a boil, add the stems and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and set the stems aside (add a vegetable stock cube to the liquid for a stronger flavour).

Wash the grains (soak the quinoa beforehand, if using). Place 750ml of the hogweed cooking liquid in a pan (top-up with water if insufficient) then bring to a boil, add the grains and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until tender. Add 3/4 of the chopped hogweed leaves an the hogweed shoots and continue cooking until the mixture is thick.

Take off the heat, season to taste, then mix in the creamy goat's cheese and the remaining raw hogweed leaves. Form the mixture into balls, add a slice of the firm goat's cheese and warp in a comfrey leaf. Secure with a toothpick then arrange in a baking dish.

Drizzle with a mix of the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and water, season to taste then place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and cook for 20 minutes. Serve warm.