Weed recipe: white dead-nettle soup

Part of our New Year Day's lunch today:

For those of you who think wild greens are out of season: think again! They may be a bit tougher and less suitable for salads, but this soup was a great way to have the white dead-nettles we picked. And a wonderful, green wild way to start the new year.

And here's my challenge for you in 2013: eat something wild on a regular basis. When I started my journey as a herbalist, I set myself the goal of eating something wild at least twice a month. What can I say - I fell in love and now I eat wild edible plants on a daily basis. I can't imagine having to miss them! 

~Lamium album~
English: White Nettle, White Dead-nettle (it looks like nettle but doesn't sting)
Dutch: Witte Dovenetel
French: Ortie Blanche, Lamier Blanc
German: Weiße Taubnessel



Here's what you need to make this simple yet delicious soup:

• two big handfuls of white dead-nettle
• some white dead-nettle flowers for decoration
  
• optional: some other wild greens like dandelion leaves, yellow dock and stinging nettle. We used all of these (the stinging nettle was dried, from the pantry), but you can omit all of them.
• 2 big onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1,5 l vegetable stock
• some olive oil
  

Heat the olive oil, toss in the chopped onions and garlic, and allow them to become soft. Add the greens and the stock and let cook for about 10 minutes. Blend and serve with white dead-nettle flowers on top.

Have a wonderful new year, filled with wild adventures!

How did you start the new year? And what are your green wishes and challenges for the upcoming year?

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