Nettle is a wild and almost vicious leafy green plant that grows throughout Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. Seemingly innocuous, its thin serrated leaves can elicit a powerful reaction on the skin, hence its name. If you make the mistake of touching it with your bare arm or hand, your skin will erupt in tiny red bumps that sting and burn temporarily. Yet if you’re mindful and use gloves as you pick the leaves from the stem, you’ll save your skin, and you can use the vibrant green leaves in this vividly green soup with a soft spinach flavor. Fortunately, cooking deactivates the reactive compounds in nettle, enabling you to reap their potent array of vitamins and minerals without fear of a sting.
SERVES: 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 8 cups Chicken Foot Broth
- 1 large bunch (about 8 ounces) stinging nettles
- 1 cup heavy cream, preferably raw
- Finely ground unrefined sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Melt the butter in a heavy stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and fry until softened and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and broth. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
- While the potatoes are cooking, remove the nettle leaves from their stems and discard the stems. Place the leaves in a bowl.
- Add the nettle leaves to the pot, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the leaves wilt completely and darken in color.
- Turn off the heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt.
- Serve hot
