My challenge to myself is to see what I can forage from my garden and surrounding environemnt to turn into a meal. Every Friday. Ok. So I think some weeks I may have a scattering of lavender flowers in my cookie dough, or maybe I might spin off a recipe from the same raw plant ingredients (we are all full to the brim here with wild garlic) but other weeks hopefully I can find new things for my family to eat. And Enjoy. That is the biggie. It has to be tasty. I am starting with something already tried and tested and LOVED here. Nettle Soup.
I spy with my little eye....
...dinner.
Nettle Soup. It's that perfect time of year for it. The nettles are young and green stemmed and juicy. We all ate this, it is really that good. And your mouth does NOT get stung. I mean, you knew that anyway, of course you did. Who could turn away these particular abundant, nutritious free greens when a bag of organic spinach empties your wallet?
Nettles are Good for you, I really don't need to go down there, there's info everywhere about nettles. For years I have bought dried nettle leaves (to alternate with red clover and raspberry leaf) and steeped and brewed deep rich satisfying infusions as directed by herbal Wise Woman Susan Weed to drink on an evening. I cannot even imagine how many pots of raspberry leaf I have downed in the last decade of childbearing. I love the stuff. I love red clover and nettle steeped together - supposedly great for increasing fertity too (I didn't drink it for that reason but good reproductive health is a nice bonus). This book was my bible for all ails for so long.
After a day of too many sweet things, or rich foods, the bitterness of nettle or raspberry leaf acts like a tonic, I just crave it and my taste buds yearn for some. But even though I have used nettles for years as a drink I really did not fancy eating them. Free and easy they may be but something in me rebelled against even trying them as a food... maybe the idea of wasting my time over something no one would eat? But nettle soup is different. Once you try it you'll laugh a bit because it's easy. And that tasty, you'll be out the next day to pick more (just as I feel I will be tomorrow).
Nettle Soup
~Chop up 3-4 big fat onions or leeks.
~Chop up 4-6 big potatoes (or other root veg like sweet potato)
~Fry them in oil
~Leave them to simmer a bit and wander outside with gloves, scissors and a basket to collect nettles. Pick young ones with nice juicy looking green stems, not the woodier darker stems. They are tougher and a bit bitter tasting. Cut about a third of the plant, you want the top third for your soup. I picked a great big pile, like spinach it cooks down so don't worry about picking too much. Look out for leaves with little holes and creepy crawlies, avoid those plants (only because they take longer to pick through!). Give them all a good shake to get rid of anything non nettle.
~Throw them in the pot with the veg. Or rinse them first. Whatever you feel, mine were from the garden and not near cars/dogs etc and looked mighty clean. I am not so fussy about cleaning every last thing I eat to within an inch of it's life.
~ Add some good stock, a pint or two, just see what you want - thin or thick soup? I like mine thicker so didn't add as much.
~Simmer until everything is soft and then PUREE. Don't forget to PUREE!!! Seriously or even the dog will not want it. Add seasoning and check to taste.
5 comments:
OMG, Claire! I was just sitting down at the computer to ask you for a nettle soup recipe! How fantastic! I have a TON of nettles out back that will make a tasty soup for lunch!
Was gonna ask if you've ever tried freezing it? Need quick dinners for nights I work and I thought this might be a good freezer option?
Oh and I love the free food friday idea. I have that seaweed and eat it book on my list to get when I clear more books out.
hope you guys are well. Mags will be back in the post next week.
No, I have never tried freezing nettles.... but I *think* it could work.... mmm, something else to google :lol I mean spinach can be frozen so I don't see why nettle could not.
I have your magazines well and truly read so will get them in the post too in the near future.
Hey it's Wonderwool down this way this weekend - I am VERY excited - have you heard of it? Big Wool festival, big big big. I bet you'd like it. It helps sway my going that it's also combined with a food festival. Food and wool? Is that a crazy wonderful joke :lol
I was walking back from town with Rose today and she was rambling about in the vaguely wooded bit that we pass through on the way home. She pointed out that there were rather a lot of Nettles growing next to the Sheep field and I thought to myself; right, gloves, carrier bag, tomorrow morning! Now that I have your recipe I think I might just do that! I'd love to to know what some of your wild garlic recipes are as we have lots of that growing near us too :)
Enjoy Wonderwool! Sounds fab.
Wow, I've done a blog post on nettles and foraged foods today too as the nettles are just perfect for picking.
Oh, and yes you can freeze nettle soup no problem. Sometimes if we've picked too many I wilt them to take the sting away and freeze in portions like spinach to use another day.
Wonderwool sounds great - I was reading about it in a knitting magazine this week along with another couple of events. Have fun.
Dawn x (GP Mommy)
Nettle soup is so yummy! I love foraging. It gives me the same kind of thrill as rifling through a charity shop does. Sea beet is a nice free sort of food if you are anywhere near the sea (coincidentally)
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