Soup

[Toddy]

It's freezing up here just now, I've broken out the wooly pully and I've made soup (carrot & coriander). I walked round to visit my uncle earlier and all I could smell from the houses was soup...it's a dreich weather thing, it's a soup day.....everything from chicken and rice to pea and ham & mulligatawny.
Next week I'm expected to cook soup and bread over the fire for up to forty kids, I'd rather it was bushcrafty kind of soup and the nettles are a bit teuch now, soooo what other kind of soup can I make that fits the bushcrafty image?
And no, I'm not allowed to snare rabbits or ducks, tho' if I see a road kill pheasant it might go into the pot These are town kids so it rather limits what is acceptable food.
Suggestions gratefully received.
Cheers,
Toddy

 

[match]

There's always lots of greenery around that can make soup - nettles (if not too old by now), good king henry/fat hen, burdock, docks, sorrel, dandelion, mallows, , lovage, coltsfoot, self-heal etc (check the bitterness of each, as they can be getting bitter just about now).

Some stems can be tasty - especially burdock, thistles, mallows if not too hard.

Otherwise, there are always good roots around that will be nice and fat if you get them before the flowers are fully out - burdock, dandelion, chicory, silverweed, etc. Peeled and roughyl chopped they made a nice addition, and in the case of roots like marshmallow, they will thicken the soup as well.

Remember to always add a lot of salt to stews and soups made like this, as this helps to stop it tasting like watery overboiled veg!)

If you know your mushrooms of course, there's a whole other world of soup waiting here!