The Basse-Huttes Nettle soup

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Nettlesoup-basseshuttes-jeandelahaye-1.jpg

This recipe was written and sent by the Delahaye family.

“The nettle is not any weed: with countless nutritional and medicinal benefits, its use in cosmetics, textile, or even in farms as a cost effective feed and fertilizer; the nettle appears to be a universal panacea.
Nettle has been put to use for the longest time and has helped to save our ancestors from numerous famines throughout history, thanks to its hight content of proteins[1], vitamines, minerals and amino-acids. Being full of nutrients, nettle is an ingredient of choice in the treatment of anemia or rheumatism — sometimes by deliberately applying stinging nettle on one’s skin!”

Jean Delahaye

About the Nettle

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Nettle has amazing resilient abilities: its defensive stinging hairs, its abundant seeds and creeping rootstacks are optimal to colonize its surroundings. No wonder why nettle has spread from Europe to the entire world before Conquistadors did.

Unless you live in a very dry area or Hawaii, you will most likely find nettle to forage in your close surroundings: free food costing no land-use nor artificial pesticides, how convenient!

Nettle is best gathered 2 times a year: in spring before it flowers (leaves from flowering nettle can be hard on the kidneys) and in autumn if they have been cut back. Pick the top leaves only, they taste better!

The recipe

Preparing the The Basse-Huttes Nettle soup

Ingredients

250 grams of nettles (you can use the leaf and the thin stems)

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 tablespoon of wheat flour

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Process

  • Cover all nettles with water and bring to the boil.
  • Once blanched, drain the nettle in a collander covered with a cheese cloth or linen, set above another pot in order to keep the nettle juice.
  • Cool your nettles in cold water and chop them roughly
  • Fry the onions and garlic in a pan until until glossy and transparent
  • Fry the nettles for a few minutes and stir in the flour
  • Using a ladle, gradually pour the nettle juice into the pot until the mixture thickens. Add water to adjust the consistency.
  • Season to taste

Related images

Notes

  1. Up to 40% of its dry weight as opposed to 20% for lettuce.