Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh hop shoots
• 2 tsp. plain flour
• 2 tsp. butter
• 1 small onion, very finely chopped
• 3 cups 50:50 mix of whole milk and water
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
• Diced toast, to garnish
• Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish

Directions:

1. Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil then pick over the hop shoots before adding to the pan. Return to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender.
2. In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan, add the oninon and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent but no colored.
3.  Scatter the flour over the top and stir in to combine.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the milk and water mix, stirring constantly to combine, until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
4. When done, strain the hop shoots then either purée in a food processor or pass through a fine-meshed sieve to liquidize.
5. Stir the resultant hop shoot purée into the milk mix and allow to heat through.
6. Ladle the resultant soup into warmed soup bowls, garnish with diced toast and chopped parsley then serve immediately.

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