Before our Swiss Ski (and snowshoeing) trip in 2019, the thought of Cooking with Hay would have never come to mind. But on one of our nights in Zermatt, we traipsed through the snow to visit Tradition Julen’s barn for a tour and met their flock of Valais Sheep! On our tour, our gracious host poured a hot beige liquid into small tasting cups for us to try. After we had partaken (and I had guessed it was some sort of Mushroom Soup), he let us know that it was a soup made with hay! I twas delicious, and ever since then, I’ve been (mildly) obsessed with hay’s culinary uses. Having played around with a handful of sauces, I figured it was time to go all out and try my hand at soup!
The next question that came to mind was when to make it. We were having company over the other night, and I really wanted to make this soup…but I realized it was a risky choice. So, with the use of modern technology, I texted our guests, “On a scale from 0 to ‘I would try hay soup,’ where do you land?” They said they’re closer to the hay soup end of the spectrum, thus solidifying my decision. The result was a very unique first course that everyone enjoyed (somewhat to their own surprise)!
We served our soup as a first course and followed it up with Hearty Cauliflower “Mac n’ Cheese.”
Time: 2-3 Hours
Ingredients:
- Organic Hay
- 6-10 Cups of Water
- 2-3 Teaspoons of Vegetable Boullion
- Heavy Cream
- A little Parsley for Garnish
Method:
- Drop a few heaping handfuls of hay into a large pot, and add in your water and bouillon. For reference, 10 Cups of Water distilled down to about 1.5 quarts of soup.
- Cover loosely, and simmer for 2-2.5 hours until your water turns a rich mahogany colour and has a flavour infused with earthiness.
- Once your stock is done, run your water through a fine strainer to remove any bits of hay. Then, discard your hay, and pour your water back into a smaller soup pot.
- Bring to a simmer, and add in some cream while whisking. We used a little less than 1/2 pint, but make sure you adjust to your liking!
- Bowl, devour, and enjoy!
