(Serves eight)

Stock
1.5 kg fish bones or soup fish, cleaned and chopped
Prawn shells (see recipe)
1 celery stalk, chopped
A handful of parsley, fennel and mint stalks
Half cm slice of ginger

Put the ingredients for the stock in a saucepan, add two litres water, simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, strain and put to one side.

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 or 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 baby leeks, trimmed and sliced
2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced
2 small turnips, peeled and diced
4 new potatoes, peeled and diced
1 kg scaled, cleaned and skinned white fish, two or three varieties, including conger eel if available
4 small squid, cleaned and cut into rings,
A generous fistful of parsley, mint, dill, coriander, spring onion tops, watercress and purslane
2 handfuls freshly shelled peas
1 handful asparagus tips, if available
1 handful finely shredded spring cabbage
Gozo sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Petals of three or four marigolds

This is based on one of the few recipes in which the Victorian Mrs Beeton uses flowers, marigolds to flavour and colour a tureen of eel soup. While she does not acknowledge the recipe’s origins, elsewhere one sees references to Jersey eel soup, a virtually identical recipe.

Because of its gelatinous quality, conger eel was considered to be highly nutritious, rather like calf’s foot soup. However, eel is not always available so you can substitute other fish. In fact, this is such a versatile recipe that you could use a variety of fish, including salmon and scallops for a luxurious version. The point for me is to use the fresh green vegetables in season at the same time as marigolds.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the ginger and vegetables until the onions are translucent. Pouron about 600 ml stock and cook until the vegetablesare tender.

Pour in about one litre more stock and bring to the boil. At this point, add the chopped herbs – some or all of those listed, a good fistful in all – the green vegetables, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring back to simmering point and cook for five minutes before adding the squid. Give the soup another couple of minutes then stir in the marigold petals, the flavour and scent of which will be released in the hot broth, and serve immediately.