SORREL SOUP WITH POACHED EGG

Sorrel soup is a springtime classic in Latvia. Sorrel is a harbinger of spring, amongst the first greens to harvest after a tiresome winter. Most of broad leaf sorrel (Rumex acetosa) I have seen thrives almost abandoned, nearly wild along the other weeds. Its French relative buckler leaf sorrel (Rumex scutatus) is too mild for a soup. No wonder the sorrel in local markets is sold by weight and it is cheap. Traditionally sorrel soup is made from smoked pork stock adding sorrel leaves, potatoes, pearl barley and garnished with a hard boiled egg and a dash of sour cream. I prefer oxtail stock which develops a strong flavour but does not overpower the soup with a smokiness. I like the sorrel tartness to dominate the soup. Its lemony tang delicately cuts the soft set white and runny yolk of poached egg. You can also add some other early spring greens - wild garlic (ramps), nettle or chicken weed to the soup.

First make a rich, slow cooked oxtail stock enriched with onion, garlic, carrot, parsley root, celery root or stalk, parsnip, fennel, different peppercorns, sage, thyme, dill and parsley stalks, bay leaves, juniper berries, orange peel and  mace.

1,5 l oxtail stock
300 g broad leaf sorrel (two hefty bunches)
150 g pearl (hulless) barley
2-3 waxy potatoes
eggs for poaching
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Rinse and soak the pearl barley for a few hours to overnight before cooking. Peel and cut potatoes into cubes. Cut the sorrel leaves into chiffonade (thin slices or shreds) having removed any thick stems. Bring the stock to the boil, add soaked pearl barley, reduce the heat and simmer until it's nearly ready (al dente), add potatoes and continue simmering till they are nearly cooked. Stir in the sorrel leaves. Correct seasoning. When the sorrel is mostly wilted (it takes a few seconds!), poach the eggs in the soup. Serve immediately.

NETTLE BREAD WITH TEFF FLAKES

This is variation on a basic bread recipe. Nettle leaf powder pairs very well with nutty and earthy flavour of teff flakes. Nettle can be found wild in many parts of the world. In Latvia nettles are among the earliest green plants of the spring to forage. Fresh nettle leaves can be easily brewed into a tea or turned into a pesto. Late spring is the perfect time to harvest nettles and dry them. The benefits of nettles have been documented for centuries. They are a source of nutrients, contain a number of essential minerals, like iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. If you can not find a nettle leaf powder, you may try to find a nettle leaf tea at local pharmacy or health food shop and crash or grind the dry leaves into a powder yourself.

400 g strong white bread flour

100 g teff flakes

5 g fast-action yeast

375 ml tepid water

2 heaped tbsp nettle leaf powder

1 tbsp wheat gluten (for a bit more lift)

1tsp sea salt
a glug of olive oil

Mix the flour, flakes, gluten, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the oil and water, and mix well. If the dough seems a little stiff, add 1-2 tbsp water, mix well then tip onto a lightly floured work surface and knead. Once the dough is satin-smooth, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rise for 2 hours or until doubled in size or place in the fridge overnight. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. In a small bowl mix nettle leaf powder with 3 tbsp of water until smooth paste forms.

Tip the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and flatten it down to gently push out the air, spoon the nettle paste on top of dough and fold the dough several times and then gently mould the dough into a ball. Place it covered by a tea towel on the baking parchment to prove for a further hour until doubled in size. 

Meanwhile heat an oven to 220C (fan 200C). Sprinkle the loaf with teff flakes and make 2 cm deep slashes across the top of the loaf with a sharp knife. Bake for around half an hour until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Cool it on a wire rack completely before slicing.

Teff flakes are available at Tobia Teff .