Ingredients
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1 Tbsp Olive Oil
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1 small Onion
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3 cups (700 ml) Vegetable Broth
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¼ cup (40 g) Arborio Rice
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¼ cup (30 g) Pine Nuts
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1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
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about a 10 oz package (250 g) frozen Spinach
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5½ oz (150 g) wild Garlic
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4 very fresh golden-yolked Egg
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Sea Salt
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freshly ground Black Pepper
Directions
If you’re not entirely sure what wild garlic looks like when it’s not picked and packaged in plastic, it’s worth doing a quick reccy on the internet for a picture of it in a more natural state. It grows quite prolifically in roadside hedges (wash it well) in many parts of the UK, so rather than walking obliviously past it, you could be sitting on a bit of a flavour goldmine. The shock of a vivid orange-yolked egg perched on top of the vibrant green was too fun to resist, but it does make this rather rich, so portions are kept advisedly modest.
Steps
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1
Done
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Heat the oil in a large saucepan set over low heat and sauté the onion for a good 8 minutes or so until really softening. Add the stock and the rice and cook for 15 minutes, or until the rice is almost cooked but still has a little bite. |
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2
Done
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Meanwhile, pop the pine nuts into a small frying pan and dry fry over a medium heat, stirring and watching all the time, for about 4–5 minutes until they are turning golden and smelling toasty. Tip onto a plate immediately so they don’t keep cooking. |
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3
Done
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Fill a pan about 5 cm [2 in] deep with water, add the vinegar and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, ready for the eggs. |
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4
Done
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Add the frozen spinach to the stock and rice and cook for about 3 minutes, until it has defrosted and the liquid is back up to simmering point. Turn off the heat, add the wild garlic and let it wilt in the heat of the liquid. Transfer to a liquidizer, or blend with a stick blender until smooth. Taste and season well with salt and pepper. |
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5
Done
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Cook the eggs 2 at a time so you don’t get into a big mess. Take the first two and crack them each into their own small bowl. Gently lower the bowls, one at a time, into the water and gently tip out the eggs. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks remain runny. Fish them out gently with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat to cook the next 2 eggs. |
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6
Done
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Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each one with a poached egg. Sprinkle over the toasted pine nuts to serve. |
