Squash & Nettle Soup

One of the first plants to arrive in Spring is Urtica dioica, the Stinging Nettle. A perfect accompaniment to seasonal Squashes.

I used Butternut Squash for this but you can easily substitute Pumpkin, etc

When foraging for Nettles you always want to go for the top most leaves that are small and rounded and collect them prior to the plant flowering. As the plant flowers and bears fruits, it may contain higher amounts of cystolyths with maturity, which can irritate the kidneys (Gregory 1997)

For the benefits of Nettle and more recipes, see my Herb Index

Nettle & Squash Soup

• 1 Butternut Squash

• 2 cups of Nettles

• 500ml Stock (chicken or Vegetable)

• Olive Oil

• Crème-fraiche or Cream

1. Peel, de-seed and cut up your Squash into bite sized chunks.

2. Drizzle the chunks in Olive Oil and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, wilt the Nettle in a pan with some Olive oil and set aside.

4. When the squash is cooked, empty into the pan with the nettle and add the stock.

5. Mix with a blender until smooth and stir in some crème-fraiche or cream to finish.