Nettle soup
Nettles makes for some early foraging
It has been a long winter and it is about time we start foraging for some of the early beauties. The nettles have come through nicely over the last couple of weeks. It is finally time to make a start picking them to make some nettle soup. For making soup I prefer using the early shoots, as they are full of flavour and goodness without the tougher texture of the older plant.
When picking nettles do wear gloves! Even though you may get away with not wearing any when picking very young plants it is definitely more comfortable with gloves. I love to use baskets but you can also use paper bags when you pick nettles. This will keep them fresh and vibrant a little longer. If at all possible stay away from plastic bags as this may make the nettles wilt sooner.
Choose the top 2-3 pairs of leaves on each plant. If you stick to this you can keep the finer stems in with the nettles and the texture of the soup will stay lovely and smooth. Later on in the season you can pick the larger leaves to dry for use as tea. The tips of the plant are full of energy and nutrients as this is where the plant is growing.
Why get excited about Nettles?
Nettles are widely available and accessible for most people. It is a plant that has been used medicinally for centuries and this for very good reasons. Nettles contain lots of Iron and has been used as a blood tonic. They are a brilliant asset if you feel a little bit low in the springtime. As the herb also contains Vit C, the bioavailability of the Iron found in Nettles is very good. This means that it is easy for the body to take up and use the Iron. This is very useful in Iron deficiency anaemia, especially as a natural source of iron for vegans.
Growing Nettles
If you want to have fresh nettles for longer you can of course grow them at home. Keep them separate from your main garden. They are pretty invasive and you may just get more than you asked for. If you keep harvesting the top shoots you will be able to keep them under control. This way you will be able to make fresh nettle soup all summer long.
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Nettle soup
Equipment
- 1 Pot
- 1 Handheld Blender
Ingredients
- 400 ml Water
- 1 Knorr Vegetable stock cube or similar
- 1 tsp Cold pressed Rapeseed oil
- 1 medium Brown Onion
- 1 large Potato
- 75 g Nettles
- 2 tbsp Crème Fraiche or Cream
- 1-2 tbsp Sherry optional
- Salt, Pepper and Cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add 400ml Water, the Stock Cube and Rapeseed oil to the pot. Bring to a boil400 ml Water, 1 Knorr Vegetable stock cube, 1 tsp Cold pressed Rapeseed oil
- Peel and chop the Potato and Onion into small cubes and add to the pot1 medium Brown Onion, 1 large Potato
- Simmer for 15 min until Potatoes are soft.
- Add the well washed Nettles and simmer for another 1-2 minutes75 g Nettles
- Blend the soup with a handheld blender until smooth.
- Add Crème Fraiche and Sherry, these are both optional but will give a fuller taste and creamier texture.2 tbsp Crème Fraiche or Cream, 1-2 tbsp Sherry
- Add Salt, Black Pepper and Cayenne Pepper to tasteSalt, Pepper and Cayenne pepper
- Serve piping hot with a spoon of Crème Fraiche and some bread. You can also serve the nettle soup with half of a boiled egg, this looks nice for Easter.
