Velouté à l'Oseille (Cream of Hibiscus Leaf Soup) is a traditional Senegalese recipe for a classic restaurant-style soup of hibiscus leaves and potatoes that are cooked, pureed and finished with a blend of condensed milk and egg. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Senegalese version of: Cream of Hibiscus Leaf Soup (Velouté à l'Oseille).
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In Senegal, not only are the flowers of the hibiscus (rosell, bissap) Hibiscus sabdiffera used to make the drink, but the tart leaves are also cooked in soups and stews, as here. Because they are cooked in a similar way to Euroean sorrel they are often confused with them, though the plants are unrelated. However, you can substitute sorrel for the hibiscus leaves in this recipe.
Wash the hibiscus or (sorrel leaves) after stripping off the stalk. Pat them completely dry then chop coarsely.
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan then add the sorrel leaves. Fry until they start to turn brown then sprinkle over the flour and stir to form a smooth roux. Whisk in 2l of water until smooth then add the potatoes.
Season to taste with salt, bring to a simmer, cover the pan and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Take the soup off the heat and allow to cool slightly then puree in a blender. Return the pureed soup to the pan and heat through.
In the meantime, whisk together the condensed milk and egg in a bowl. Add a ladleful of the soup to temper then whisk the mixture back into the soup.
Allow to heat through and thicken (but do not boil). Ladle into warmed soup bowls, garnish with a sprig of coriander and serve.
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