The Adventures of Paul and Sue

Spring is here and so are all the fun new things to forage! Purple Dead Nettle and Horsetail are out in abundance so here’s a recipe that I love. The measurements are very approximate and (as always) to taste.

Ingredients:

• Purple dead nettle
• Horsetail
• 1 tbs butter
• 2 Leeks sliced
• 1 Large carrot sliced
• 1 Potato diced
• 1 Yellow onion diced
• Minced garlic to taste
• Salt to taste
• 4 Cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 Cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• Olive oil for serving

Directions:

1. First, you want to prepare the nettle and horsetail. For the nettle I just rinse it. Some people like to do a vinegar soak and then rinse, whatever you prefer. For the horsetails you want to pick off the brown leaves on the outside of the stem, cut off the strobilus and the ends and then rinse them well.
2. Heat a medium soup pot and add the butter until melted. Then add the nettles and horsetails and sauté on medium heat. Add leeks, carrot, potato, onion garlic and salt. Sauté until potatoes and carrot are tender and onion in translucent stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, add the vegetable stock and cream and simmer for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Turn off heat and blend. Serve hot with olive oil drizzled over the top.

To watch a video of this recipe, head over to IGTV