Lovage and potato soup

A visitor spotted lovage growing at Q Gardens, a community garden in Rochdale, Manchester, and shared this handwritten recipe with the community group. Offering them ideas of what they could use it for and inspiring them to continue collecting recipes from the garden.

30 minutes
4 people

Ingredients

  • Knob of butter
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, washed and diced
  • 55g lovage leaves, stripped from their stalks and chopped
  • 1 litre of chicken stock
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  • Heat the butter and oil together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. 
  • Add the chopped onion and diced potatoes, and stir to coat.  
  • Mix in the lovage (adjust the amount to your taste), and stir for a couple of minutes. 
  • Season and then add in the stock. 
  • Bring the soup to boil, and then leave to simmer with the lid on the pan for 15 minutes. 
  • Liquidise using a blender and check the seasoning. 
  • Serve hot with crusty bread and butter or bread rolls. 

RHS Big Food Share partners

The RHS is working with the Socially Engaged Photography Network to encourage and upskill communities in creative storytelling, through regional projects that follow the stories of local groups throughout the growing year and their experiences, motivations and activities.

Plot2Plate is a community initiative to help people in Rochdale grow their own food. The cost of living crisis has led to many people experiencing increased financial pressure, so the RHS is working with local communities across Rochdale to help them grow their own food in front gardens, allotments, community spaces and backyards.

Socially Engaged Photographer in Residence Gwen Riley Jones has been collaborating with growers across the borough to collect their growing stories to share what it means to them.

Photographs by Gwen Riley Jones

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