from Robert Martens' recipe collection

The young spring shoots must be gathered with care (ie, a pair of gloves and scissors!) but the effort is well worth it. The shoots can be steamed and eaten like spinach, but a favourite recipe of many is cream of nettle soup. Some recipes call for a boiling of the nettles in two lots of water but this destroys the flavour and the nutrients and is not necessary in order to denature the acid contained in the tiny hairs that is responsible for the stinging.

3 cups water
2 pounds young stinging nettle leaves
5 tbsp. butter
5 cups stock
¼ cup flour
2 egg yolks
1 cup cream
1 tsp salt, pinch of pepper

In a large pot bring water to a boil. Drop nettle leaves in slowly so that the water continues to boil, then quickly remove from heat. Drain leaves and set aside. Melt 5 tbsp of butter in a large sauce pan, add flour and stir for a couple of minutes to cook the mixture. Add the stock and stir until the soup thickens and is creamy. Simmer.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the cream. Add about ½ a cup of the soup base, whisk, and then whisk this mixture back into the soup pot. Add the chopped nettles and seasonings and serve