Nettle soup

By Britta Dezillie

It’s Sunday morning, May 9th, in a lot of countries it’s mother-day today.

I decided to start this day with a quiet moment for myself and took a walk to the river (F1) Boots on and as usually equipped with my basket I set off. The sun was already high but most window shutters were still closed, waiting to be opened by the long sleepers who would finally wake up after a late Saturday night.

Perfect for me, so I could fully inhale the morning air in this peaceful environment. And yes, once more, mother nature provided some nice filling for my basket. Along the riverbed was a place full of nettles. Some were already quite big, so I pinched off just the little fresh top leaves, but there were also still many young ones (Fig. 3), just great for a nice wild nettle soup for lunch.

You might say: Oh, don’t the nettles sting you?!
Well, yes and no, the top leaves, which are the best to pick, do not sting and the trick to pick the young ones is to move your hand from the bottom to the top of the stem, in the same direction as the stings. And you know what, if it happens that you suffer from arthritis or muscular pain the nettle stings can be a great remedy! These nettle stings are a great boost to the circulatory system.

Nettles also stimulates peristalsis (this is the involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine or another canal, creating wave-like movements that push the content of the canal forward). It activates the last part of the small intestine and helps assimilate food through the villi.

Nettles are very rich in vitamin A, C, D and K, as well as in minerals like Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Iron and Sulphur. So, you can consider nettles as supper foot when your energy level is low, when you are pregnant, stressed, ill or weak.

The sedative and nervine properties make nettles a great support for the nervous system. From the Ayurvedic perspective, the nettles are pungent and have a bitter taste. They pacify pitta and kapha Dosha and stimulate vata.

NETTLE SOUP RECIPE

Ingredients for 4 large servings:

300 grams of young nettle leaves (or the tip of the bigger nettles)
3 tablespoons of olive oil or ghee
1 liter of vegetable stock (I use a little cube of vegetable stock for 1 l of water)
1 or 2 onions, finely chopped
Freshly ground pepper and salt
optional: 1 or 2 potatoes, in pieces
optional: 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
optional: 1 deciliter of cream
optional: toast a bread and break it in pieces like title croutons

Directions

* Wash the nettle leaves under the tap in a sink.

Optional: use gloves or plastic bags to protect your hands. However, once the leaves are wet they will not sting you any longer.

* Drain the leaves in a colander (Fig. 4).
* Put the olive oil in a stockpot and fry the chopped onions and garlic (optional) in it.
* Add the nettle leaves, potatoes (optional) and stock and cook for about 15 minute
* Mix the soup finely with a (hand) blender and season with cream (optional)
* season with salt and pepper.
* Serve warm and finish (optional) with a spot of cream on top and some croutons (Fig. 5).