Nourishing Nettle Soup

4 servings

Ingredients

• 6 oz young nettle tips
• 4 oz fresh spinach
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups skimmed organic milk
• 3 tbsp flour
• Dash of ground white pepper
• Dash of ground nutmeg
• Salt to taste
• Yoghurt with probiotic bacteria, for garnish

Directions

• Wash nettle and spinach thoroughly. Drain and chop coarsely.
• Heat olive oil and sauté onion in a large saucepan until golden brown.
• Add water, nettle, and spinach, and bring to a boil. Cook until nettle and spinach are tender. Blend with a hand held blender until smooth.
• Whisk cold milk and flour together in a small bowl. Pour into saucepan and whisk to blend thoroughly.
• Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, until thickened. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Remove from heat.
• Pour soup into serving bowls and garnish with a swirl of yoghurt. Serve.

Note: As nettles are rich in nitrates, they should not be consumed by young children, people with gout, or other people with a condition that requires a low-nitrate diet.

Did you know?

Nitrates, inorganic compounds that can cause health problems if they turn into nitrites in the body, accumulate naturally in many plants including nettle and spinach. However, you can minimize the nitrate content of your nettle dishes by only consuming young nettle shoots and by avoiding compost areas and outhouses when picking nettles. You can also reduce the odds of nitrates turning into nitrites by consuming a drink rich in vitamin C and/or E along with your nettle dish — these vitamins are highly effective at preventing the conversion of nitrates into nitrites.