Turned out a nice day today ... so I made some time to try and bring some order to the garden ... it has been sadly neglected this year.
I donned my gloves and went forth to see the damage ... and where best to start!
Everywhere looked so overgrown ... I decided to start on the bed I can see from the kitchen window. I had bought a few bulbs at the weekend ... ever the optimist, I don't think a few bulbs will make this garden look cared for!
Whilst sorting this small bed I came across my bath of Nettles. I keep this old tin bath just for growing nettles that I eat ... they are clean (no car fumes from the side of the road, or dogs piddling on them), and I can keep them short, small and lush.
They too were a tad overgrown so I thought the thing to do was chop them down and let them sprout afresh.
Always with a nod to Thrifty living I saved the choicest nettles.
I donned my gloves and went forth to see the damage ... and where best to start!
Everywhere looked so overgrown ... I decided to start on the bed I can see from the kitchen window. I had bought a few bulbs at the weekend ... ever the optimist, I don't think a few bulbs will make this garden look cared for!
Whilst sorting this small bed I came across my bath of Nettles. I keep this old tin bath just for growing nettles that I eat ... they are clean (no car fumes from the side of the road, or dogs piddling on them), and I can keep them short, small and lush.
They too were a tad overgrown so I thought the thing to do was chop them down and let them sprout afresh.
Always with a nod to Thrifty living I saved the choicest nettles.
In the kitchen I picked them over ... evicted a couple of sleepy caterpillars and gave the Nettles a bit of a rinse.
How fresh and green does this look ... just bursting with vitality!
It knocks spots off any old weary looking cabbage you can pick up from the supermarket shelf!
I chopped up a bit of onion .... quite a lot of onion ... just because I had a lot of onions, and an odd potato (I have a few of these too). The potato thickens the soup nicely.
Sauteed the onions and chopped potato in a little olive oil .... salt and pepper to taste, added the Nettle leaves (stripped from the tough stalks) and stirred around a bit until they were wilted. Added a veggie oxo cube and water to cover .... simmered gently on a very low heat for an hour or so.
Blitzed with the blender and I added a spoonful of veggie gravy granules to thicken it up a bit.... I could have left the lid off and it would have reduced and thickened ... but I'm not that patient a woman!
I must say it was tasty... what an easy tea.
Bowl of healthy soup packed with iron, and cheese and crackers (we won't comment on the pork pie!).
So go on .... eat your weeds!
They are probably more nutritious than all that week old stuff we buy in the shops!
Bye for now xx
Mmmm me thinks that this may well find its way on to the menu here, thank you so much for haring.
ReplyDeleteJohn
sharing, I meant sharing - bugger
ReplyDeleteI don't think the farmer would buy the idea of nettle soup, but he would eat the pork pie!
ReplyDeleteI've never thought of growing nettles in a tub before - clever!
ReplyDeletejust saying hello, I visited Anglesey this summer, camping at Benlech, I took the bus to an exhibition by Jayne Huskisson at the Ucheldre centre, where I spent a most enjoyable few hours. I have been to Anglesey for the past three summers, it's a beautiful place ! and I also love to mooch around flea markets and vintage fairs,
ReplyDeletehappy blogging, collecting, sewing etc Wendy x