We asked all the speakers at our recent Food. The forgotten Medicine conference to suggest a healthy recipe. Dr Michael Dixon suggests a simple summer soup to appeal to your inner bunny.  He writes:

Choose darker coloured lettuce for greatest nutrient content. Lettuce sap contains the chemical Lactucarium which is considered to have mildly sedative properties (remember Peter Rabbit and the soporiphic bunnies!), but this is only present in very small quantities.

Cooking time: 10 mins
Prep time: Under 10 mins

Ingredients

1 Large Green Lettuce Approx. 300gms/12 oz
25gms/1oz butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 Shallots or one medium onion finely sliced
425gms/1lb fresh or frozen Peas
750 ml/ ¼ pint vegetable or chicken stock
8 sprigs of fresh mint leaves only chopped

Method

1. Pick over the lettuce and wash thoroughly. Leave in a colander to drain
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a big saucepan and gently sauté the shallots for 10 minutes
3. Shred the lettuce and add to the pan and stir. After a minute add the peas and stock
4. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat, season and add the mint leaves. Simmer for 5 minutes
5. Take the pan off the heat and blend the soup until smooth
6. Return to the pan, warm through, check the seasoning and serve

Equally delicious hot or chilled