Hand picked nettle soup with Brymor clotted cream.
Ok, so go out into the woods. Look for somewhere in the deep forest that hasn’t apparently been proxy-sprayed with weed killer. Southern train lines from London Bridge seem to produce the finest nowheres, for under ten quid.
Oh, and hello, Mr Wild Food Disclaimer : “After Stinging Nettle enters its flowering and seed setting stages the leaves develop gritty particles called ”cystoliths” which can irritate the urinary tract.”
(That’s generally in Autumn, dudes; research this stuff before you eat it.)
Pick about 1kg of nettles. Take them home. Plunge into a sink of cold water, soak for 5 min, then, using gloves, pick all the leaves off. Wikipedia says that if you wash nettles they lose the poison of their sting. My throbbing left palm says; stay away from user generated online encyclopaedias when crucial botanic knowledge is required.
In the meantime, brunoise 1 small onion, 1 small leek, bigger chunks for the 2 medium potatoes (peeled). Sweat the oniony stuff, add the spuds and stir for a bit. Use some butter AND olive oil in this process.
Add 3 cups vege stock, a pinch of pepper, and a fresh tsp of chopped majoram. Simmer for 20 min. Now plunge in your nettles. Cook for 4 min, grate a pinch of fresh nutmeg through, then puree. Add a very cold knob of butter as it blends. Mmmm rich. Taste it, then season with salt. Pass through a chiniose if you’re posh, then serve in a bowl with a dollop of Brymore clotted cream (http://www.abmoore.co.uk/) (London locavores, apologies)
Lovely stuff. And free. And the nettles are 25% protein.
