It’s at this time of the year that many of us start looking towards our gardens. Whether growing vegetables or flowers, weeds are a common problem, so what better way to deal with some of them than to eat them?
Washed Pant Nettles ready for the pot
Even if your garden isn’t plagued with nettles, there are always plenty to be found in and around Pant. Nettles are best harvested – using gloves – before they flower (around May) and the further away from a road or an area sprayed with pesticides the better.
Pant Nettle Soup – turning weeds into food
Chose only the smallest leaves to cook, you will have to pull up the rest of the plant if you are trying to rid your garden of the plant. But if you do get rid of them all, you might have to go foraging further afield next year if you acquire a taste for these shoots.
If you haven’t had nettles before the best way to describe the taste is spinach-like. The acid that is contained in the sting is diluted by cooking, so they won’t sting the mouth. Finally, only collect plants you can positively identify, as some wild plants are, of course, poisonous.
Pant Nettle Soup
Serves two
200g washed nettle leaves
1½ tablespoons butter
30g plain flour
Small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 500 ml boiling water
¼ teaspoon mixed herbs
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
100 ml single cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Deadnettle flowers, chopped hard boiled egg and olive oil to garnish
Collect only the smallest nettle leaves (don’t forget to wear gloves). After washing, add to enough boiling water to cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Use a blender to finely chop the cooked leaves and a little of the cooking water. The rest of the cooking water can be discarded.
Make a roux by melting the butter, adding the flour and cooking for a couple of minutes.
Add the onion and garlic and fry for 10 minutes on a gentle heat. Blend in the stock, herbs and nutmeg. Use a whisk to avoid lumps.
Then, add the nettles and the cream. Stir through and pour into bowls, garnished with the flowers, egg and oil.