Tuesday 17 April 2012

N is for nettles




NettlesLove or hate them they have their uses and are good for butterflies ! You can make great fertiliser tea for the allotment or simply add them to your compost heap to give it a boost !
But I think the best thing to do with nettles is to eat them !



Lady Ridley's Nettle Soup

Why not try Lady Ridley's nettle soup recipe? 
Ingredients:
1 lb potatoes
½ lb young nettles
2 oz butter
1½ pts chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt & black pepper
4 tablespoons sour cream
Method:

Cook the peeled, chopped potatoes for 10 mins in salted water. Drain.
Wash & chop coarsely the nettles (Only pick the new, young tops,using gloves!)
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the nettles and stew gently for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and heated stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
When all is soft, cool slightly & purée in a blender, adding seasoning and the sour cream.
I hope you enjoy the nettle soup. The hardest work is picking the nettles. Half a pound is a lot of small leaves, but it is fun to do, in season, once a year.
THE VISCOUNTESS RIDLEY

4 comments:

  1. Interesting. I don't believe I've ever tried to eat nettles.

    New follower here. I’m enjoying reading my fellow “A to Z”ers. I look forward to visiting again.

    Sylvia
    http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/

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  2. I'm still not keen on Nettle Soup :) I do like to pick early Nettles and infuse them for a Hair Rinse though.

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  3. We don't get nettles in Tenerife but we do have cacti so walking in the wild is still hazardous! Are you deliberately a letter behind the rest of us A-Zers or is the strain of keeping up getting to you too? :)

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    1. its the strain of keeping up lol !!! going to do a catch up today !

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