Nettle Soup

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Have a look at my blog on Wild Food (Mar 2010) before you start making this.  It's important to wear at least 2 pairs of rubber gloves when you're harvesting nettles, and always go for the new shoots, the young leaves.  Have fun, it's such an enjoyable thing to do. 

50g         Butter

1              Onion, diced

225g       Potatoes, peeled and diced

500g       Young nettle leaves, washed and dried

100g       Spinach (I use the frozen stuff here, always handy to have in your freezer)

250ml    Creamy Milk ( ½  milk, ½ cream. Or indeed all cream!)

450ml    Vegetable stock

Seasoning should be ground white pepper and sea salt. 

 

In the base of a heavy pan (and if you are thinking of new pans, come to Drumms, all the VIKING ones are on sale!) melt the butter.  When it’s nicely bubbling add the onions and sauté them, then add the spuds.  Now cover this with a paper lid made from greaseproof paper or from butter wrappers and let it sweat till tender.  You need to make sure the spuds are soft, as once you add the nettles you don’t want to have to cook them out for too long.   Season as you go. 

 

When the spuds are soft, add the nettles and sauté for about 5 minutes.  Cover with the stock and bring to the boil, then simmer for about another 5 minutes.  Now add the spinach (this will deepen the earthy flavour and provide a wonderful sharp green colour.  Cook it out for about 2-3 minutes. 

 

Blend it all with a hand blender or for a more fine consistency in a blender jug.    Put it back on the heat, add the creamy milk, and check the seasoning. 

 

Serve piping hot with homemade brown scones.