Nourishing Nettle + Potato Soup
Nourishing Nettle + Potato Soup
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) has been a staple in herbal medicine since ancient times. The plant’s leaves and root provide a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins (A, C and K, as well as several B vitamins), minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium), fatty acids (linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid), all of the essential amino acids, polyphenols (kaempferol, quercetin, caffeic acid, coumarins and other flavonoids) and pigments (beta-carotene, lutein, luteoxanthin and other carotenoids) — many of which also act as antioxidants inside the body, which are molecules that help defend our cells against damage from free radicals (linked to aging, cancer and other diseases). As you’ll be aware, the leaves can be very irritating though, so eating them raw is not recommended! This rich soup cooks them lightly at the end. Nettles are abundant this time of year. They make a delicious addition to soups and other recipes. And best of all, they’re free! Just make sure you have some gardening gloves handy.
Ingredients
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed and chopped or put through a garlic press (leave it to sit for 10 minutes or so after chopping to get the maximum nutritional benefit and cook as little as possible)
2 leeks (white ends peeled, sliced in half lengthways then sliced into thin half circles)
1 tablespoon ghee, coconut oil, tallow or lard (recipe here)
8 cups bone broth - chicken or beef work well (recipe here)
850g peeled and cubed potatoes (peeled weight) (save the skins for making crispy tallow baked potato skins)
Approximately 10 cups nettle leaves (170g)
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Nettles are full of fantastic nutrients. However, they’re often sprayed by chemicals you don’t want anywhere near you or your plate. So, make sure you only pick them from areas you are certain haven’t been sprayed. Use gardening gloves for picking, to avoid being stung, and keep them on for washing and trimming the stems.
When picking, try to remove the leaves as close to the tip of the stem as possible. Once you’ve picked your nettles, bring them into the kitchen to wash well. Snip off any stems that remain, so you’re left with just the leaves. A salad spinner works well for washing and drying here - as it helps you avoid touching the leaves much.
In a large pot, heat the oil until melted and add the onion and cook over a medium heat until it begins to soften (about 5 minutes). Add the leeks and soften for another 5 minutes, then add the garlic and soften for a couple of minutes.
Add the potatoes then add the broth. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat, put a lid on and gently simmer for 20 minutes.
Once the potatoes are soft, add the nettle leaves and stir through. Cook on a low heat for about 5 minutes more, until the nettle leaves are softened.
Depending on how chunky or smooth you like your soup, you can just use a hand potato masher to break it up here, or you can blend it as smooth as you like using a stick blender (I use a Bamix). I like to have it mostly smooth with a few potato chunks remaining.
Check soup for seasoning. Depending on how seasoned your bone broth was, you may want to add more salt and/or pepper here.
Top the soup with freshly chopped parsley, chives or other fresh herbs to serve. A drizzle of raw cream works well, if you have it.
