Nettle is chock full of vitamins and minerals, which makes you feel more energetic and stronger. In fact, it is just a local superfood. Sometimes you don't have to look any further than in your garden, forest or park.
You can use nettle in many ways, the most accessible is just an infusion of nettle of course. Did you know that it is best to dry your herbs first before making tea with them? This way they release their ingredients much better into the water.
You can also use this topper in the kitchen. Just like you would use spinach, for example, in a spicy omelette or in pancakes.
And in soup of course! Below is the recipe for a truly revitalizing spring soup!
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- 2 onions
- 150g leek
- 200g peeled potato
- 150g nettle tops
- 2000ml water
- Broth
- Salt & pepper
- Extra dried herbs to flavour: e.g. thyme, rosemary and garlic
- Rinse the nettle in a bath of water. Wear gloves, the nettle still stings! Do not leave the nettle in the water for too long, so that as few minerals as possible are lost. It is best to use the young tops. If you have cut a little deeper on the stem, remove the tough stem, you can still use the leaves.
- Fry the onion in olive oil with a little salt until the onion is translucent
- Add the leek and continue to stew
- Add the nettle, potato and water. Together with the stock, pepper, salt and extra herbs to give extra flavour.
- Let the soup simmer gently until the potatoes are cooked.
- Mix the soup and taste if you want to add some pepper, salt or herbs.
Tasty!
Want more? Then be sure to watch the April 24, 2021 episode of Velt's kitchen chats , in which they get to work with Wild Herbs and make burgers, risotto and pesto with herbs!