Nettle Soup

We're home again and in the rush to get things sorted out, gardens planted and general partying there hasn't been a lot of fancy food cookery achieved.

This recipe for nettle soup would normally show up on the other blog where wild food and foraging makes its mark but it was cooked in celebration of our arrival and deserves its place on the table. Other vegetable treats we found were some savoy cabbage stumps bravely putting up flowering shoots every bit as toothsome as the divine purple sprouting or chinese bok choi. These were steamed quickly and served almost plain to really enjoy their fresh taste.

This is a very simple soup, made with ingredients to hand. Some recipes suggest adding a couple of floury potatoes to add body and others will specify a good stock in place of water. Use what you have and will enjoy.

Take a huge bowl of nettles, you'll need gloves to pick them and make sure you only take the tippy tops or your soup will be unpleasantly fibrous.

Chop a large onion finely and sweat down in a good gloop of oil, I used olive oil but any will do. Wash your nettles and pick out any bits of grass or other detritus then with the washing water still clinging to them put them in the pot with the onions. As they begin to wilt add just enough water to cover them.

Add herbs, I used mint, sage and the magical lovage, a herb that can bring any meal extra savoury sparkle, chopped finely as they will be incorporated into the soup. If you prefer to add harder herbs, rosemary or bay for example, then please do, the soup is infinitely variable to your taste but you'll need to pull any sticky bits out before blitzing it with the hand blender.

Simmer for 30 minutes or so, then use the hand blender to reduce the nettles and herbs to a thick puree. You can use a mouli-legumes if you prefer. Season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.

Bring back to serving temperature and serve with croutons of fried bread and some soya yoghurt if you like it.