Born to be wild

Sherri Singleton’s culinary mettle with nettle, far from a weed.

Spring arrives just about the time my friend Anushka appears at the Thorn with the first of her fantastic home-grown asparagus. There isn’t any warning - one morning she just will breeze into the kitchen with a wooden box laden with her beautiful bunches and continue to deliver until she hasn’t any more to pick. And that’s it - we don’t have any other supplier before the season, or after. During the short growing period, Anushka’s asparagus will feature on the menu daily. I tend to keep the dishes simple, perhaps char-grilling the spears and finishing off with a bit of fruity olive oil and a generous grating of Parmesan cheese. Her not-so-perfect spears, which might be a bit bent or broken or the thinner sprue, Anushka delivers in a shopping bag. I often look forward to these little ‘perks’, the tips are usually reserved for a risotto, salad or pasta with the stalks and trimmings going into making a simple but luxurious soup.

Another indication that spring has sprung is the abundance of tender stinging nettles lining the footpaths and fields here in Mistley. Stinging nettles are extremely rich in calcium and are known to have the highest plant source of iron. In addition to being a ‘super-food’, nettles are super trendy in California where the plants are now being cultivated for top restaurants! I feel very lucky to have this fantastic, wild and free ingredient literally on my doorstep.

Nettles have an earthly flavour that pair well with asparagus, especially in soup.  Nettles can be substituted for most dishes calling for cooked spinach; the leaves even make a delicious pesto. A couple of favourite dishes that we will be preparing soon are nettle gnocchi with a simple sauce of asparagus tips, butter and Pecorino cheese, as well as a nettle and asparagus risotto.

Harvest the nettle plants while young and tender. Remember to wear long gloves and use scissors and only pick plants that haven’t been sprayed with chemicals. It is also a good idea to choose plants away from the very edge of the footpath, especially in areas where dogs are known to frequent! I usually pick the tender leaves from the top of the plant. Should you get stung, I find that rubbing the affected area with the classic crushed dock leaves, bicarbonate of soda or even toothpaste seems to offer some partial relief.

If you don’t have access to fresh un-polluted nettles, this soup can be made by substituting watercress, rocket or spinach for the nettle leaves.
A tasty addition is to throw a handful of fresh mint, flat leaf parsley or tarragon into the soup before puréeing.

Asparagus and Nettle Soup

(makes 4 generous portions)
 
INGREDIENTS

500g thin asparagus, trimmed
3 tablespoons fruity olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium leeks
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
300g tender nettle leaves,
2 - 3 litres vegetable or chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
lemon juice

METHOD

Prepare the leeks by chopping the white and the next 2 cm of light green parts, discarding the darker tough green tops. Carefully rinse the nettles properly and drain well. Slice the asparagus spears into 2cm pieces, reserving the tips.

Over a medium-hot heat, carefully add the onion, leeks and potatoes to the hot olive oil in a large saucepan. Sauté, stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to colour slightly (after about 10 minutes). Add 2 litres of stock and simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes after which time, add the asparagus stalks and the nettle leaves. Simmer the mixture for a further 10 - 15 minutes, until the potatoes and asparagus stalks are tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Using a hand held blender or food processor, carefully purée the soup until smooth. Filter the mixture through a food mill or sieve into a clean saucepan, makinge sure that you press the solids through with the back of a spoon to remove the fibrous bits.

Return the soup to the stove. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. If the soup appears too thick, add more stock to thin out the mixture. If, on the other hand, the soup is too thin, bring the heat up to high and reduce the soup to the desired consistency while stirring. Add sea salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Finally put in the asparagus tips and simmer until tender, which takes about 4 minutes. Serve hot or cold.