Lovely Lovage...

Lovage is a perennial herb with a punchy, tasty celery flavour. Once a popular herb but has recently fallen out of favour, it is difficult to buy in the shops so really the best way to taste it is to grow your own.

It is a fabulous hardy perennial that dies back in the winter and re-grows the following spring producing young tender fresh leaves that are ready to pick from early-mid Spring! Once established it can grow up to 6ft but can be kept in control by regular cutting back or plant in your garden borders if you have a small herb bed.

Recipe for Lovage & Potato Soup

Ingredients...

• Handful of Lovage Leaves chopped

• 2-3 Medium diced Potatoes

• 1 pint of vegetable stock

• Knob of Butter

• 1 Medium Chopped Onion

Melt the butter in a pan and add the onion & gently sautee until soft. Pop in the potatoes and cook for 2 mins, then add the lovage. After 1min add the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down heat and gently simmer for 20mins. Remove from heat and carefully whizz up the soup until smooth with a hand-blender. And it's ready to serve. Garnish with a few slices of lovage or a few bits of crispy bacon!