Surely no introduction is needed for this plant - everyone who has been outdoors must at some time have accidentally brushed against them, then recoiled in pain.
Here they are - Stinging Nettles - Urtica dioica.
I picked about a colander full of tops and leaves. They did need a good wash, as there were lots of little insects crawling on them.
I decided to make nettle and potato soup - I chopped and fried a small onion - just until the pieces began to brown at the edges.
Then I added the nettles, a few peeled and diced potatoes and a pint of good chicken stock.
After about 20 minutes of simmering, the potatoes were cooked and the nettles were too.
I took the pan off the heat and processed the soup with a handheld blender - this could also be done in a blender/liquidiser or food processor - but carefully, as hot liquids can be tricky to blend.
The soup was seasoned with a little pepper, salt and nutmeg, then served with toast.
The Final Verdict
Really very good indeed - nettles have what I would describe as an 'expensive vegetable flavour' - which although unique, is comparable to asparagus or artichokes - rich, nutty and satisfying. There's also a spicy note in there - something a bit like ginger, although it's subtle.
This is one wild food I will certainly be revisiting in future. Why did I wait this long?
Toward the middle of summer, stinging nettles start to get tough and full of seeds, becoming less palatable.
Fortunately, this plant's reputation as a persistent weed comes to the rescue here - as long as the conditions are suitable for growth, a patch of mature nettles cut down to the ground will produce a fresh crop of tender green shoots within a week or so - so the picking season can be extended almost all summer.
