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Post by jean on Apr 19, 2011 10:43:39 GMT
It is time to make Nettle Soup.The best sort of gloves to use are the very fine rubber surgical ones. And don't take them off until the nettles are safely in the pan - nettles still sting several hours after they've been picked.
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Post by Weyland on Apr 19, 2011 12:43:05 GMT
It is time to make Nettle Soup.The best sort of gloves to use are the very fine rubber surgical ones. And don't take them off until the nettles are safely in the pan - nettles still sting several hours after they've been picked. It's the same poison as used by red ants — formic acid. Cooking the nettle denatures (disarms) the acid. I've never had nettle soup, but I can tell you that nettle cheese is delicious. I've only seen it in Holland (brandnetelkaas), and even there mostly in farm shops. Worth a taste if you ever see it. Pale Gouda colour with little green speckles.
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Post by everso on Apr 19, 2011 14:58:12 GMT
It is time to make Nettle Soup.The best sort of gloves to use are the very fine rubber surgical ones. And don't take them off until the nettles are safely in the pan - nettles still sting several hours after they've been picked. It's the same poison as used by red ants — formic acid. Cooking the nettle denatures (disarms) the acid. I've never had nettle soup, but I can tell you that nettle cheese is delicious. I've only seen it in Holland (brandnetelkaas), and even there mostly in farm shops. Worth a taste if you ever see it. Pale Gouda colour with little green speckles. It happens when you cook red ants as well.
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Post by everso on Apr 19, 2011 15:01:00 GMT
It is time to make Nettle Soup.The best sort of gloves to use are the very fine rubber surgical ones. And don't take them off until the nettles are safely in the pan - nettles still sting several hours after they've been picked. I love the idea of using freebies from nature. Every September Mr. E. and I go on long walks armed with tuppaware boxes so we can pick blackberries. I still have some in my freezer from last year. Nettles I've never tried though. I worry that some dog might have peed on them.
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Post by Weyland on Apr 19, 2011 15:47:49 GMT
It is time to make Nettle Soup.The best sort of gloves to use are the very fine rubber surgical ones. And don't take them off until the nettles are safely in the pan - nettles still sting several hours after they've been picked. I love the idea of using freebies from nature. Every September Mr. E. and I go on long walks armed with tuppaware boxes so we can pick blackberries. I still have some in my freezer from last year. Nettles I've never tried though. I worry that some dog might have peed on them. I've seen people peeing on blackberries. But it's not formic acid. Unless they've been drinking Watney's or Titbread Wankard. Me? I'm on the wagon. Did I tell you? Oh yes, I'm on the wagon.
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Post by Weyland on Apr 19, 2011 15:49:37 GMT
It's the same poison as used by red ants — formic acid. Cooking the nettle denatures (disarms) the acid. I've never had nettle soup, but I can tell you that nettle cheese is delicious. I've only seen it in Holland (brandnetelkaas), and even there mostly in farm shops. Worth a taste if you ever see it. Pale Gouda colour with little green speckles. It happens when you cook red ants as well. Fried crunchy, with a nice Chianti and some fava beans.
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Post by jean on Apr 19, 2011 15:50:31 GMT
It happens when you cook red ants as well. But they stay crunchy. I get my nettles from the wilder parts of our allotment site - there aren't any dogs there. The soup tastes quite like spinach. It needs some potato to stop it separating, but not as much as the recipe I posted suggests.
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Post by everso on Apr 19, 2011 16:10:03 GMT
It happens when you cook red ants as well. But they stay crunchy. I get my nettles from the wilder parts of our allotment site - there aren't any dogs there. The soup tastes quite like spinach. It needs some potato to stop it separating, but not as much as the recipe I posted suggests. Ahh. We fillet them first, down South.
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Post by everso on Apr 19, 2011 16:12:13 GMT
Now I'm wondering whether red ants should in fact be filleted first or whether you lose flavour.
Trubbs will possibly advise.
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Post by Weyland on Apr 19, 2011 16:38:48 GMT
Now I'm wondering whether red ants should in fact be filleted first or whether you lose flavour. No, but you'd lose the crunchiness of the exoskeleton. I believe the Scots do fillet the little tinkers, with special subminiature sgian-dubhs, and replace the crunchiness with Buckfast batter. I will, of course, yield to her superior expertise in this area.
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Post by housesparrow on Apr 20, 2011 6:06:01 GMT
I was toying with making this, but it isn't really soup weather now.
We've nettles enough on the Sparra estate, but Everso also makes a good point - we have a male dog. Still, if the nettles are washed and cooked that really shouldn't be a problem. And I think they are now high enough to be out of danger!
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Post by jean on Apr 20, 2011 7:50:54 GMT
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Post by alanseago on Apr 20, 2011 10:14:58 GMT
It is time to make Nettle Soup.The best sort of gloves to use are the very fine rubber surgical ones. And don't take them off until the nettles are safely in the pan - nettles still sting several hours after they've been picked. I love the idea of using freebies from nature. Every September Mr. E. and I go on long walks armed with tuppaware boxes so we can pick blackberries. I still have some in my freezer from last year. Nettles I've never tried though. I worry that some dog might have peed on them. Oh Everso, I have not tasted a blackberry in decades. We used to go up on t'moors with Mum. We would come home with bags full of them and purple stains around our mouths. Same expedition for bilberries and wimberries. 'Oh dem pies!'
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Post by everso on Apr 20, 2011 10:45:16 GMT
Alan, blackberry and apple pie makes Mr. E. go weak at the knees.
I get such a kick out of picking them, knowing that they are free! (the blackberries, not Mr. E's weak knees)
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Post by housesparrow on Apr 20, 2011 11:27:08 GMT
Thank you, but somehow the soup in the opening post appeals more. Must be something to do with the sour cream!
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Post by jean on Mar 23, 2012 19:30:06 GMT
Just a reminder...it's that time of year again...
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Post by Weyland on Mar 24, 2012 9:26:17 GMT
Just a reminder...it's that time of year again... Dear Aunty Jean, I recently purchased a substantial slab of brandnetelkaas (nettle cheese) from a cheese pusher in Amsterdam. I have already consumed several slices of the ambrosia-like substance. Should I go to Confession before or after releasing the rest to take its chances in the wilds of Wales? Yours cheesily, Weyland Yutani of that Ilk.
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Post by aubrey on Apr 1, 2012 18:16:35 GMT
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