Wild Greens Puree (Palm Oil Soup) is a modern British recipe for a classic dish of mixed wild greens cooked with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar that can be used as an accompaniment or stirred into boiled rice. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Wild Greens Puree.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is my go-to spring and early autumn puree of wild greens that can be served on its own as a vegetable, blended with oat cakes or blended with oatmeal and fried in the same manner as laver bread.
The ingredients will vary, depending on what's available, though I invariably include nettle tops, ground elder and garlic mustard. In spring I'll include wild garlic greens, three-cornered leek leaves and flower stems.
Another common addition is salad burnet, which grows profusely hereabouts. Of course, dandelion greens are always available. Adding Himalayan balsam flowers is also good (available March to early October, hereabouts).
I usually add a few young, green common hogweed leaves as I like the slightly earthy tone they give.
If I've been lucky enough to forage some sea plantain leaves during the summer then I'll add a few tablespoons of the frozen and chopped leaves for the saltiness they lend the dish.
Ingredients:
2 handfuls young nettle tops
1 handful young ground elder leaves
3 handfuls garlic mustard leaves
10 young, lime green common hogweed leaves
6 tbsp frozen sea plantain leaves
1 handful wild garlic (ramson) or three-cornered leek leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced (if not adding wild garlic greens)
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp soy sauce
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Wash the wild greens thoroughly then add to a pan with the water adhering to them.
Bring just to a boil then cook, stirring, until the leaves have just wilted.
At this point season with the balsamic vinegar, garlic, soy sauce along with salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste. Mix everything to combine then take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Either use a stick blender to chop the mixture or take the greens out and chop by hand.
Return the greens to the pan, bring to a simmer and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until almost dry. Either serve as a leafy green or use in any recipe calling for a wild greens purée.
The easiest dish to make with these is to boil rice separately then drain the rice, add in the wild greens and cook together, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Serve the wild greens rice as an accompaniment.
