Stewed Apple & Nettle Soup

These past few days have been great for our annual ritual gathering weeds or more specifically these glorious nettles and dandelions. They are sprouting everywhere and just asking to become part of our journey each spring.

We have collected pots of them usually early in the morning when they are at their best (and so are we!), not only for us to eat in our food but also for the animals. They are great for our laying geese and ducks as well as for our milking goats.

Nettles and dandelions are also chocked full of all the minerals and vitamins needed at the moment for us to gently surge ahead in better health. And when they are young such as this time of year – they taste a little like spinach.

Usually I just make soups and stews with nettles while I add dandelion raw to salads but also stir fry it with onions, garlic and anything else I have on hand here. However like any other vegetables, nettles can be quite versatile and I plan on making a few different dishes with them in the coming days.

Today I made a pot of nettle tea with some fresh nettles – but instead of throwing out the greens afterwards (or giving them to the geese) I added them to my already cooking soup. Nothing need be wasted when it comes to great herbs!

So now I have a pot of vegetable soup that turned into nettle soup….

To make any kind of soup or stew with nettles – pick some first (the tops are enough) wash and cut the leaves off if you want. Add the leaves to your hot water or even a soup already cooked – just boil it a little longer to soften and blanch the nettles.

Once my soup was ready – with vegetables and loads of nettle – I decided to add some flavour for my taste tester with some stewed apples stirred in at the end. The nettles and apples are a perfect combination or sweet and earthy flavours.

Milk, cheese or yogurt works very well here too. No time to get a picture of the soup - it was gone too fast....!

April 

Goats feta cheese hanging to drip out the whey