I am no gardener, it's a sad but true fact. Give me a plant and it will be dead in a week.  I'll overwater it or I'll underwater it.  It will shrivel or turn yellow but either way it will succumb to my complete unawareness and misunderstanding of plants.  I don't want to be this way - in fact I'd love to think of myself as a rather mystical figure who could coax a shrinking violet into bloom.  It's time I admitted that there is only one gardener in our family and that happens to be my husband. He undoubtedly has a green thumb.  It is thanks to his efforts that we enjoyed this spectacular soup.    

In the spring he planted, among other things, bok choy.  As it turned out, it didn't really look like the bok choy one buys at the grocery store and before we knew what had happened - it bolted. "Bolted" is a horticultural term for "sprouted" or to my understanding "left too long before cut."  I loved the idea of our bok choy bolting all over the garden, it seemed a shame to stop it. 

Once cut, I really didn't know what on earth to do with the stuff.  It was past a light stir fry, I didn't think roasting was a good idea and raw was out of the question.  So, after much mulling on problem I decided to turn it into soup - and I'm so glad I did! 

If you don't have an abundance of bolting bok choy charging round your vegetable garden, I really think spinach or asparagus would be a wonderful alternative. 

A couple of bushells of homegrown boy choy - or - a lovely bunch of asparagus (washed and roughly chopped)

3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons of butter

salt and pepper

1 onion (diced)

2 sticks of celery (diced)

3-4 new potatoes (skins on, diced)

32 oz of organic chicken stock

1-2 tablespoons of organic heavy cream (optional)

In a large saucepan heat the butter.

Add the onion and sprinkle with salt to avoid burning.  Saute until soft but not yet caramelized.

Add the celery, garlic and potatoes and saute for a further 5 minutes.

Add the chopped boy choy - or whatever greens you are using.

Saute for a minute or so. Add the pepper.

Add the chicken stock.  Bring to the boil and turn down to a simmer.  Partially cover and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through.  This should take no more than 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool a little, then pour into the blender and puree. 

Pour back into the saucepan, adjust seasoning and add the cream if using. 

Serve with a garnish of pretty bok choy flowers.