Myfrenchkitchen

Unimaginable that nettle soup can be delicious and yet, it is! Once cooked, the stinging effect disappears completely and all that is left, is a dark green, flavorful soup. Stinging nettle grows everywhere, the sign of fertile soil, and costs nothing. So why not make use of it? It reminds me somewhat of watercress, of which I often make soup too. Along with the spring petit pois pesto, it makers for a typical spring lunch or dinner or even a starter. See the Pincée de fleur de sel below for more ideas. I do hope you’ll try it.

Nettle soup with petit pois pesto

Recette:

Soup:

Pick nettle leaves, wearing a pair of leather or other thick gloves. Separate the leaves from the stems, keeping only the tender leaves and stems. Harvest about 3 large colanders full of leaves for 4 people.
Rinse the leaves in cold water to get rid of sand and grit. Don’t forget using the gloves, or switch to tongs.
Clean and chop two spring onions and sauté in coconut oil(not to be confused with palm oil)or olive oil. Add 5 stems of garlic along and its flowers.(optional)
Mix the nettle leaves with the onion and add enough vegetable stock to JUST cover the nettle/onion mixture. Adding too much liquid will result in a watery soup.
Simmer on medium heat for about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and mix with a hand mixer to a creamy soup.
Add 3/4 can of coconut milk and 1 large TBSP of mascarpone cheese to the soup. Stir and leave to simmer very gently over low heat for another 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Leave aside until needed.

Petit pois pesto:

Boil 1 large cup of freshly shelled petit pois for 2-3 minutes and rinsed under cold water. Leave to dry.
Mix together in a mortar and pestle with 5 sprigs chives, 2-3 TBSP olive oil and 1 TBSP pine nuts.
Season with salt and pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of white balsamic vinegar.
Don’t overwork to a puree.

To serve: Serve the soup warm OR cold with a quenelle of petit pois . Finish off with sprinkling of milled pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bon appétit!

Pick nettles with a pair of leather or other thick gloves!

I picked the leaves(with gloves of course) early morning, separated the leaves from the harder stems, kept the softer ones, rinsed it very well and kept it in the fridge until I started the preparation.

Rinse very well!

Pincée de fleur de sel:

Remember to pick the leaves with gloves, rinsing and adding to the casserole, working with gloves or tongs all the time.
Like spinach, nettle must be rinsed well, preferably under running water. Catch the water in a bowl and add to you plants.
It resembles spinach when cooked.
Use watercress, or spinach leaves instead of nettle.
If you fear the nettle to be too “wild” to your liking, add 1 large peeled, boiled and mashed potato, OR add some spinach leaves along with the nettle.
Don’t add too much stock or else the soup will be watery. It is always possible to add some stock afterwards.
Serve the soup cold in glasses or cups, topped with a room temperature pesto, or serve warm in bowls with room temperature pesto.
If using frozen petit pois, boil longer than fresh peas..about 4 minutes. Stop the cooking process by placing in ice cold water.
For a nice apéro, make a cuppacino – Place a layer of petit pois a the bottom of a small glass,pour over some soup and finsih off with whipped cream. sprinkle with grean matcha tea powder.

Freshly shelled petit pois.

Last, but not least..the pea shells are off to the compost heap!

*Note: I have finally gotten the chance to redo my photos for the Washing day post and if you would like to see and read my thoughts on a washing day..just follow this link to Coin Perdu –Laundry day!

* Thank you to everybody who shared their laundry stories either on Facebook, in an email or on the blog..I loved reading them..if there are more of you who want to share..please do so, I would love to hear your washing day stories and I know others would like to read them too!

Bon appétit et à la prochaine!

Ronelle

In the spirit of the fraise season and it being the fruit of our region, I trumped up these little strawberry helpings. Very versatile, they can be served as part of a buffet, or an ending to a meal as dessert, or with a cheese platter, or even an apéritif for an al fresco dinner. Won’t hurt to try them, non?

Basil stuffed strawberries

Recette:

Rinse and dry a handful of large strawberries.
Cut the stem side off each strawberry to form a lid and keep aside. Cut the tip off to make the strawberry stand up straight.
Use a small melon scoop and hollow out the inside to form a little cup.
Cut the remove strawberry flesh into small pieces.
Add to the chopped strawberry flesh: Some chopped berries of your choice(blueberries, blackberries, mulberries…), a few drops of balsamic vinegar, a few drops of a fruit coulis of your choice, a few shredded fresh basil leaves. Mix together gently and spoon into the empty strawberry cups.
Sprinkle some chopped pistachio nuts over the tops and replace the strawberry lids.
Serve individually on a plate or on a large platter for a buffet and accompany with fruit coulis(which you have used in the strawberry cups)
Decorate with berries and sifted icing sugar, basil leaves..

Pincée de fleur de sel:

I used blueberries and raspberries with a raspberry coulis.
If the berries aren’t in season yet, combine with another fruit like kiwi, which will also see to a nice filling.
Remember that the bigger the strawberries, the less flavor and sweetness they have, So choose youraccompanying fruit accordingly.
Pomegranate can make for a nice crunchy filling.
For an sweet/salty apéro(amuse bouche), try a filling of quinoa, chopped spring onion and chervil with a drizzling of lemon juice, olive oi, and serve on some salad leaves..mmm, superb! Serve with a cold rosé wine by the barbeque fire..
Don’t serve directly from the fridge..too cold temperatures kill the strawberry taste..in facet, I never serve anything, except ice cream and the likes, directly from the fridge. The fridge kills all flavours.
Serve as part of a cheese platter..fill with a small cube of feta cheese, a shredding of dill and add a little piment d’espelette jelly(or another piquant jelly) and a drop of olive oil.
Play around with your own preferences.

This year’s fête de la fraise happened in the rain. Although the number of visitors were lower than previous years, there were still many brave ones..like mon chéri and me. The fraises were as usually in abundance, but I missed the taste of sunshine..it is clear that our fruit and vegetables aren’t what they usually are. All the rains and grey and rainy days are taking its toll. But nonetheless, going to la fête de la fraise is what we just do and we strolled the streets and nibbled on strawberries all day long.

..a cool fête de la fraise

..This was my attraction all day long..

..Strawberries, smoothies, meringues, crèpes..it was all there..

..just a few names under so many varieties..

..and the traditional giant tarte aux fraises, a combined effort by the patissiers of Beaulieu..

..I was as as fascinated by the bubbles as the kiddies were..

..How I wish we could hang on to that uninhibited spontaneity..

..just like the strawberries, bubbles of all sizes and shapes..

..and this is where the bubbles originated from..a complicated vintage machine..

..As usual, mon chéri had to discuss the engineering principles behind the bubbles with Monsieur bubble machine..

..And..forgive me..more bubbles!..

..such a pity I have no more daughters; musicians and bands galore throughout the day…

..and with this last image I want to say:

“Gros bisous à toutes les mamans et à ceux et celles qui les entourent..

bonne fête des mamans!!”

**Note: the washing day post is postponed to later date due to loss of images(total computer clumsiness on my part!!)..I have to await a sunny day to redo it all…my apologies!

à la prochaine fois,

Ronelle