Nettle soup

Spring and Autumn

Nettle soup is something I look forward to making every year. When the first young nettles appear in late winter, usually from February through to April, I gather a good colanderful and make a big pan of this beautiful soup. Nettles have such a unique flavour and are incredibly good for you, what’s more, they’re free and abundant, and the best bit is you don’t even have to grow them yourself.

If you’re picking the nettles yourself, pull on a sturdy pair of gloves and look for young plants, making sure they haven’t started to flower. Snip or pinch off the top five or six leaves from each plant, the crown as it were, it’s the best part.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp good olive oil
1 large knob of butter
½ celeriac, about 300g, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large or 2 smaller leeks, trimmed, well washed and finely sliced
2 small cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large colander of nettle tops, about 500g
About 750ml vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Set a medium, heavy based saucepan over a medium high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and, when the butter is gently bubbling, add the celeriac, potato, onion, leeks and garlic with a little salt and pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables begin to soften but without taking on any colour.

Pour in the stock and bring everything up to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Add the nettle tops to the pan and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted and become tender.

Use a blender to purée the soup until smooth. Return it to the pan, bring back to a gentle simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed before serving.

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