(Strictly speaking, the stuff growing behind our house is Smooth Sow-Thistle, which is closely related to Puha, or Prickly Sow-Thistle).

For two servings:

One large kumara
One medim-sized onion
About a Tbsp of butter
A pinch of nutmeg
Some puha - about enough to yield four handfuls of leaves
A handful of parsley or other green herbs
Salt and Pepper

What to do:

Melt the butter in a pot on a low heat. Chop the onion and and add it to the pot. Wash and skin the kumara, finely dice it and add it to the pot. Add the pinch of nutmeg, and as much salt and pepper as you feel like adding. Stir everything around a bit. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes or until the kumara begins to soften.

While that’s happening, wash the puha in a couple of changes of water. Pick off the leaves and discard the stalks (they’re stringy).

Add about three cups of water to the pot. Bring it to the boil. Cook until the kumara and onion are quite soft (another ten minutes should do), then put it through a blender. Add the puha and parsley, and wizz it all up again.