It's that time of the year again - for me to revive my favourite spring tonic. We have picked the first ramsons and nettles this morning and the soup will be ready for lunch.

Nettle and Wild Garlic Soup

4 oz nettle shoots (a carrier bagful)
2 oz wild garlic leaves
1 oz butter
1 medium onion chopped fine
1 medium potato peeled and quartered
1 pint good chicken stock (not a cube)
grated nutmeg, salt and pepper and double cream to taste

1 Wash nettles and wild garlic (wear rubber gloves!). Put to drain in a colander.
2 Cook onion gently in butter till soft but not coloured
3 Add nettles, wild garlic and potatoes and stir until leaves wilted
4 Add stock and simmer for fifteen minutes
5 Liquidise, keeping potato pieces till the end so that soup may be to your desired thickness
6 Return to saucepan, add nutmeg, seasoning to taste and double cream to taste. Heat through and serve.

Serves 2

Alan

Thanks for the recipe. Never thought of this before. Tried it this spring and it's delicious.

Time to get out and pick your spring tonic.

Hi Alan,

Was going to revive this one too but you beat me to it. We had our first nettle soup of the year last week - lovely - the visitors didn't think much of it though

Hi Goldilox

Glad you enjoyed it

We had our first of the season yesterday - the nettles and ramsons are rather late this year.

Made an enjoyable lunch for two.

I'd add a hearty recommendation to Alan's recipe.

And to think that most people are trying to get rid of nettles too!

About time to revive this spring tonic

Ramsons are looking green and tender and the nettles are beginning to put out now growth.