A lovely soup for Spring! Nettles are delicious – a bit like spinach – and are full of nutrients such as iron, vitamin K, vitamin C and more. They’ve been eaten throughout the UK and elsewhere for thousands of years.
Use young nettle tops between March and June (any later and they aren’t so good). Take a clean plastic bag and rubber gloves, wash them in a colander. Remove some of the woodier stalks with your rubber gloves still on. The sting cooks out almost immediately. Free and tasty food – what’s not to like?
However, this soup is also worth making with other types of green vegetables at other times of the year – e.g. curly kale is in season September to March.
Using sweet potatoes – all or partly – also adds vital nutrients as well as extra taste to the soup.
Serves: 4–6
Time to prepare: 10 mins
Time to cook: 40 mins
Dietary requirements: Dairy-free, Egg-free, Gluten-free, Halal, Kosher, Vegan, Wheat-free
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large leek, peeled and chopped OR 4 large shallots, peeled and chopped OR 1 small red onion, chopped
700g/1½ lbs potatoes, peeled and chopped roughly – white, sweet or a mixture
130g/5oz young nettle leaves – a few good (gloved!) handfuls – OR shredded spring greens OR shredded spinach OR curly Kale OR Swiss chard
½ tsp allspice
1 tsp dried marjoram or mixed herbs
1/8 tsp (good pinch) nutmeg
900ml/1¾ pints vegan stock
2–3 tbsp dairy-free milk, e.g. soya, almond, oat
Salt and black pepper
Optional
Dairy-free yoghurt
Finely chopped parsley or watercress
Instructions
In a large saucepan, sauté the leek/shallots/red onion in the oil.
Turn down heat and cover, cook for 5 mins until the onion is translucent but not brown. Add the spices and herbs and fry in for the last minute, stirring continuously.
Add a little stock if necessary to prevent sticking.
Add the potatoes and cook, covered for 5–10 mins.
Stir from time to time, adding a little stock to prevent sticking.
Stir in rest of stock and bring to the boil.
Cover pan and leave to simmer on a low heat for about 20–25 mins or until the potatoes are cooked.
About 5 mins from the end and add the nettles.
Add dairy-free milk to soup and then blend everything thoroughly.
Season to taste.
Serve the soup hot in bowls, each with a swirl of dairy-free yoghurt and herb garnish if using.
