Recipe for Spring Nettle Soup

This is the “cool” soup for spring dinner parties.

Serves 6.

45g (1½oz) butter

285g (10 ozs) potatoes

110g (4 ozs) onions, chopped

110g (4 ozs) leeks, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1L (1¾pints) chicken stock

140g (5 ozs) young nettles

150ml (¼pint) cream

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, when it foams, add the potatoes, onions and leeks, toss them in the butter until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover with a paper lid (to keep in the steam) and the saucepan lid, and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

Discard the paper lid, add the stock and boil until the vegetables are just cooked. Add the washed and chopped nettle leaves. Simmer uncovered for just a few minutes. Do not overcook or the vegetables will lose their flavour.

Add the cream or creamy milk and liquidise. Taste and correct seasoning, if necessary.

Serve hot with a swirl of cream on top.