When spring is upon us—which occasionally does happen in England—we want some nice soups " to purify the blood," as they said in ancient cookery books. I do not vouch for the medicinal properties of my soups, as I do not pretend to be an authority on dietetics, like the compilers of cookery books in the olden days, but I can assure you that these " spring soups " are well worth trying.

Ingredients

2 1/2 lb. knuckle of veal, 2 or 3 young leeks, 1 lettuce, a handful of watercress, 2 or 3 young carrots and turnips, a few asparagus tips, salt and pepper.

Method

Put the knuckle of veal in about 1 1/2 quarts of water, bring to the boil and skim off all fat. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for 2 hours. Now add all the vegetables (except the asparagus), which should be well washed and cut in small pieces. Cook for another half-hour, then strain the soup, replace it in the saucepan and throw in the asparagus tips and cook till tender, which will not take much time. Time: About 3 hours.