1: Rescue 200 g turnip (or other vegetable) tops. These might be from turnips and radishes bought for another recipe, or if you go to the market, for example, stall holders will probably give them to you for nothing, as customers generally ask for them to be taken off.
2: Cut off the stalks and wash like lettuce, then drain. Set aside.
5: Melt 50 g butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. When it begins to froth, add the chopped shallot, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute without colouring.
6: Add the vegetable tops to the pan and stir round until...
7: ...they wilt and shrink down into the butter and shallots. Note: depending on the quantity of leaves, you can do this in batches.
8: Pour in 1 litre 500 ml water and add the potato slices. Salt and pepper again.
9: Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
The quantity of leaves in this recipe is for guidance only, so use whatever you have to hand. As soon as they are separated from their roots, these vegetable tops wilt very rapidly, so they should be freshly picked and used quickly. If you need to defer making your soup, cut the tops off the fresh vegetables and seal in a plastic bag with a piece of dampened absorbant paper, then these will keep in the fridge for a day or two. For more flavour, use vegetable stock instead of water.