Catholic Recipe: Spring Herb Soup

For Holy Thursday lunch, try this traditional spring herb soup (Siebenkraeutersuppe). This soup follows the custom of having all green foods on Holy Thursday. In Austria, Holy Thursday is called Gruendonnerstag (Green Thursday). Many people think that the word "gruen" stands for the color, but this is not so. It derives from the ancient German word "greinen," meaning "to cry or moan." Nevertheless, Gruendonnerstag will have its green lunch.

DIRECTIONS

The mixture of the above herbs should total about 7 ounces. Whether bought at the market or picked, they should be washed well. Steam in butter with finely chopped onions and parsley. Press through a sieve into a flour soup and let it boil. You may put in one or two egg yolks, one to two tablespoons of cream, or 1/4 cup milk. You also may use sour cream.