Nettles are an amazing way to enjoy a highly nutritious wild food. I made this soup at the restaurant a couple of weeks ago and it just flew out. It really turned out super delicious.
The deep green colour is a big part of the satisfaction for me and it brings back memories of my childhood and my mother serving it with a boiled egg cut in half and floating on top. As this is a vegan recipe, I have added a different touch, which I though turned out incredibly well.
I do not have the exact measurements, but you can google and find a recipe easily or just use your imagination. I also had two rather large bouquets to use and I probably ended up with 6-8 litres in the end.
Using the fresh spring shoots is the best. It is also preferable to use only the top shoots and leaves. If you have access to the plant, you can cut the tops leaves off and wait for new growth. Also make sure your nettle is not grow anywhere where they use toxic pesticides and stuff, and also dont pick them if they grow by the roadside.
I was gives some already tall stems so that is what I used.
FIRST YOU NEED TO REMOVE THE THICKEST STEMS AND WASH THE NETTLE LEAVES REALLY WELL.
If you want to avoid getting stung, you can put on glows for this job, but a little sting is nothing to be afraid of, it actually has health benefits, like reducing inflammation and can reduce allergies. It is only the underneath of the leaf that stings so if you handle it gently, you won't feel much.
I removed the thickest and toughest part of the stems, but kept the rest. The easiest I find is the add it to a large basin or bucked of fresh water and wash it with the water to remove any sand, dirt or insects.
Then it is time to make the soup.
THE MAIN INGREDIENTS ARE:
Onion, potato, carrot, nettle and vegetable stock and hazelnut milk.
The carrots and potatoes make the base of the soup. For a "normal" size soup, I reckon 3 carrots and 5 potatoes will be good. I was making a big soup so I used about the double of that.
First I fried the onion in vegetable oil. Then I added the chopped carrots and potatoes and fried that all together for a few minutes. I decided not to use garlic, but many recipes include it, so it can be a good option.
What I did add was 2-3 teaspoons of ground coriander seeds. I find it adds a lovely flavour to most soups and stews.
I also added some black pepper and a little sea salt.
Then I added all the nettle and covered it all in vegetable stock and let it boil until the carrots and potatoes were done.
The only thing that is left to do is to blend it. I have a vitamin blender which is a high powered blender and makes the soup silky and soft, but a hand-held blender would also work really well or also a kitchen machine would work.
I wanted a creamy soup so once this was done and back in the casserole I decided to add hazelnut milk. It thought it would add to the forest feel of the wild nettles. Then I added one of my favorite spice, grounded muscat nut and extra salt and pepper. That was all. I was so happy with the result. Really delicious and our guests really appreciated it too and that of course gives a chef satisfaction.
PS You can of course use any vegan milk for this and if you do eat dairy, I can imagine some good fat yoghurt or raw cream could be delicious too.
The main point is that it is easy to make a tasty soup. It is a wonderful food that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Use what you have at home. This is meant as inspiration.