Topic: Nettle Soup Recipe??

[tina]

Does anyone have a decent recipe for Nettle Soup? We had some years ago and loved it. Since we have such a fantastic crop of them at our lottie it seems a shame to waste them!!!! ;D ;D

Tina

[Doris_Pinks]

Tina whilst searching for potions for the garden using nettles, I came across this site! The soup sounded good ;D DP
http://www.nettles.org.uk/nettles/activities/nettlesoup.asp

[tina]

Well, who would have guessed that it was 'National Be Nice To Nettles Week'!!!!!
 ;D ;D
Thanks DP, this recipe sounds just like the one that we lost!! Roll on tomorrow lunchtime (and I don't even have to go and pick them, I am on nights, and lovely hubby is going to pick them and cook them)!!

Tina.

[Doris_Pinks]

Well, if he is chopping em down, not be nice to nettles week in your area!! Hehehehehe   Hope he has good gloves to wear :o  Let me know what the nettle soup is like, I have never had the courage to try it :-\  Dottie P.

[tina]

 Doris

:P

He said it took him nearly 3/4 hour to pick a bag of them (with gloves ;D). He only picked the top two or three inches and left the rest (presumably to try and encourage them to take over the entire plot  :-\).

Soup itself he reckons is an absolute doddle, one of the easiest he has made (and that's quite a few).

Anyway, very nice, quite strong and so only needed a small portion. We thought it could probably do with a little 'something' , possibly garlic or some sort of herb, just to lift it a bit. Cooking is OH's hobby, so no doubt we will have further variations as the weeks go by!!

Tina.

[budgiebreeder]

They have a high level of VitaminsA and C,2.3%by weight of ironand a remarkable5.5%of protein.So well worth the effort for their nutritional values.Only the top shoots should be used.
Nettle purree can also be made.Tastes a bit like pea-pods.Nice spread on toast with a poached egg on top.By the way the older leaves have a laxative effect.

[Doris_Pinks]

Oh err BB, nutritious as well as delicious!! Glad you enjoyed it Tina, think I shall give it a miss tho, the thought of eating nettles.............just can't pluck up the courage!

[Tenuse]

I made a lovely nettle soup thickened with rice, from the River Cottage cookbook. But it smelled weirdly of fish!! Tasted wonderful though.

Ten x

[GardnerJ]

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but... how do you grow nettles? do you just have to rely on wild ones?
Jemma

[Jesse]

I've got a recipe for nettle soup that is very similar to the one provided by DP. All the same ingredients plus 1 onion and seasoning with grated nutmeg. That may enhance the flavour somewhat.