Nettle Soup with Leek Top Oil
If green were a flavour, it would taste like this soup– earthy and sweet with an herbaceous bite. Stinging nettles are the hero here, but any young and tender spring greens will be happy to take their place. To perfectly complement this soup, try pairing this recipe with Calliope Figure 8 White or Gray Monk Riesling.Ingredients
Serves 4 as a starter
LEEK OIL
7 oz (200 g) green leek tops, cut into 1-in (2.5 cm) chunks
1 cup (250 ml) mild-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
NETTLE SOUP
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 cup (250 ml) tightly packed sliced leek whites
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium Russet potato (about 10½ oz/300 g), peeled and cut into ½-in (1.25 cm) dice
leek pulp reserved from Leek Oil recipe
4 cups (1 L) chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream
2 bay leaves
½ tsp (2.5 ml) each salt and freshly ground black pepper
10½ oz (300 g) trimmed nettles or any combination of young spring greens (such as kale, mizuna, spinach or arugula) if nettles are out of season or unavailable
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- To make Leek Oil, blanch leek tops in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 60 seconds. Strain and pat dry, then transfer to a blender or food processor along with oil and salt. Pulse until mixture is almost smooth and turns a deeper green. Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and allow to drain, undisturbed, for a few hours. For deepest leek flavour, refrigerate unstrained mixture overnight and strain the following day. Reserve pulp.
- To make Nettle Soup, place a medium saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté leek whites, celery and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened. Stir in potatoes and leek pulp and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in stock, cream, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in nettles and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until greens are wilted and vibrant.
- Remove from heat and blend with an immersion or high-speed blender. If using a high-speed blender, only fill bowl halfway and gently pulse a couple of times to release steam and avoid splashing hot liquid. Purée until smooth.
- Transfer to bowls and garnish with a drizzle of leek oil and sour cream, if desired.
- * Important: When handling raw nettles, always wear rubber or latex gloves and long sleeves. Nettles are safe to handle once they’ve been cooked or dried. When preparing nettles, discard lower portion and only use leaves from top 3-in (7.5 cm) of plant. When purchased online or at a farmer’s market, nettles are typically already prepared. It’s not recommended to forage for nettles yourself, as it’s easy to misidentify plants growing in the wild.