Post by nutsberryfarm 🏜 on Apr 3, 2021 13:37:57 GMT
www.kitsapsun.com/story/life/2021/03/17/springtime-means-nettles-ripe-picking-soup/4742037001/
Nettle soup
INGREDIENTS
4-5 strips of high quality, thick bacon
1 coarsely chopped onion
4 cups chicken stock (or, in a pinch, water)
1 pound potatoes (about 2 large)
About 1 cup prepared nettles, blanched and squeezed
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare and blanch the nettles: With gloves, pluck the leaves and discard the stems. Drop the leaves in boiling water for 3 minutes. (This removes the stinging effect.) Strain and immediately plunge the leaves into a bowl of ice water. When chilled, strain again and let drip in the colander. Squeeze out the water the best you can in your hands or in an old towel.
2. Make the soup. In the bottom of your soup pot, cook the strips of bacon over medium until brown and crispy. Remove these to a cutting board for use at the end as a topping.
3. In the deliciously bacon-browned and greasy pan, add the chopped onion. Add a little salt. Still on medium, stir and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, scraping up the bacon residue as you go.
4. Add the stock or water, then add the potatoes. Raise heat to high and simmer until potatoes are done, about 15 minutes. (Taste a potato to check.)
5. Add the blanched nettles and stir just a minute or two to warm.
6. Blend the soup until smooth.
7. Top with crumbled bacon. Serve with bread and the satisfaction of knowing that you just made a meal from weeds.
