Nettle Soup Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2 teaspoons of salt. Drop in the stinging nettles, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until they soften. This will remove most of the sting. Drain in a colander, and rinse with cold water. Trim off any tough stems, then chop coarsely.
• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and stir in the onion. Cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, chicken broth, and chopped nettles. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, leek and potato, and cook for 10 mins until the vegetables start to soften. Add the stock and cook for a further 10-15 mins until the potato is soft.
• Add the nettle leaves, simmer for 1 min to wilt, then blend the soup. Season to taste, then stir in the butter and cream. Serve the soup drizzled with extra oil and scattered with dead nettle flowers, if you have them.

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, leek, celery, carrot, potato and a good pinch of salt, and stir until everything is well coated. Cover and sweat gently for 15-20 mins, stirring every so often to make sure that the vegetables don't catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 mins. Add the nettles in several batches, stirring, then add the wild garlic leaves and simmer for 2 mins.
• Remove from the heat and blend using a stick blender or tip into a blender. Return to the heat and stir through the milk, then taste for seasoning. Ladle into bowls and drizzle over a little extra oil, then top with a few wild garlic flowers, if you have them.

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium pot, and cover with cold water by about 2 inches; add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain; let cool completely. Cut into 1/4-inch dice; set aside.
• Melt butter with the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and nettle leaves; cook, stirring often, until onions are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add stock, 3/4 cup water, and 1 tablespoon salt; stir to combine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until nettle leaves have softened, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Using an immersion blender or a food processor, puree soup until smooth (use caution when pureeing hot liquids in a food processor). Reheat soup over low heat. Divide among serving bowls. Garnish with the potatoes, and drizzle with cream. Season with pepper, and serve.