In my Lufa vegetable box a few weeks ago I got a ton of different leafy greens I don’t know the name for, and some that I did. There was bibb lettuce but then some long, thin greens with sweet, slightly crunchy stems, and something that sort of stung. So I figured maybe stinging nettle. The best way to use nettle is in soup, since the cooking makes it soft. Best to not try to make salad with this green or your mouth will become very unhappy and sore.
The other green I had sitting in my fridge was a ton of basil. I don’t make a lot of pesto and I find basil overwhelming, so there’s currently a lot in my freezer already and I wanted to get rid of this batch before it got slime-y.
Ingredients (Serves 2):
2 cups greens (nettle, unidentified greens of choice…just not mustard greens or anything where the bitterness doesn’t cook out of them when boiled)
2 cups stock (or water)
1 cup almond milk (or 1/4 cup almonds
Basil Oil:
1/2 cup basil
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt (or two pinches)
1 tbsp water
So I did a very simple soup. It’s not the most tasty thing ever, but it’s so healthy for you, and it’s a great way to use up leftover greens. the basil oil makes it feel like a gourmet treat and the almond milk adds a sweet creaminess.
Directions: Homemade stock brought to a boil, add a handful or three of the nettle, simmer for about 5 minutes to soften the stems. Add the almond milk or almonds and purée or blend. I didn’t even add salt to the soup itself.
For the basil oil: In food processor (a blender would also work) process a handful of basil with a generous drizzle of high quality extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, a sprinkle of a salt, and a little water to help it blend. In a food processor it may end up chunky rather than smooth because of the blade, so not a real “basil oil” but the flavour was still fresh and not too strong in my case. Drizzle a little oil on top of the soup, and voila.
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