Nettles are a family of flowering plant that's native in the greater DC area. The plants are covered in small, brittle hairs that contain a chemical cocktail that stings if it pierces the skin - they're the embodiment of the attack plants in the Harry Potter series of books. This is a natural defense for the nettle in the wild, and a deterrent to many amateur chefs. The sign over the basket containing bags of nettles said "wear rubber gloves when handling them."

And they're correct: the things do sting, even through thin work gloves. Apparently it is possible to avoid the sting with careful handling, but better safe than uncomfortable. And the best thing: cooking or crushing the nettles destroys the defense mechanism, and they're very tasty, nutrient-rich, and their deep green color adds a nice contrast to soups and sauces.

So last night, I donned the gloves and made my first nettle dish. A big tip 'o the hat to Chocolate & Zucchini for the recipe.

Nettle Soup (Soupe aux Orties)

• A dab of butter
• One medium onion, peeled and sliced
• Two small potatoes for mashing (or one large), peeled and sliced*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• One bunch of young stinging nettles
• Freshly ground pepper

* - I didn't peel the white potatoes I used, and the soup's consistency was fine. I'd imagine that a tough-skinned russet might be a bit too fibrous, though.

1. Melt the butter in a medium soup pot over medium heat.
2. Add in the onion, and cook for five minutes, until softened, stirring regularly to avoid coloring.
3. Add in the potatoes and salt, and pour cold water or stock to cover by about an inch. Cover with a lid, bring to a simmer, and cook for ten minutes, or until the potatoes are soft (test this with the tip of a knife).
4. While potatoes cook, put on rubber gloves and pluck the nettle leaves from the tough, fibrous stems (discard the stems). Rinse the leaves thoroughly in cold water.
5. When the potatoes are cooked, add in the nettles (they'll shrink rapidly once in the presence of steam), and cook for five more minutes, until the leaves are soft and wilted.
6. Purée with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender).
7. Grind in some pepper, taste, and adjust the seasoning.

Serve hot, preferably with fresh, crusty bread.

Notes:

I used thin vinyl "handyman" gloves, and still got stung in a few places, so if you're using something thin, double-layer. The sting wears off in about a day, give or take. Aloe and cortisone creams can help alleviate the itch and burn.

Also, the amount of salt listed in the recipe was a bit too little for the batch I made - thus the call to adjust seasonings in the end. If you want more kick, add a little cayenne pepper toward the end, before blending.

A big tip 'o the hat to Chocolate & Zucchini for the recipe.

Carrot, Leek and Apple Soup
(from The New American Plate Cookbook)

1 lb carrots, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces (peeling is optional)
1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 apple, chopped (preferable a tart variety - the more tart, the better)
1 tbs. olive oil
3 cups chicken or clear vegetable stock
salt (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
dried ginger (to taste)
fresh mint (garnish - optional)

What are they? They're essentially a scalloped potato casserole. I've seen a few recipes that all differ a little - some call for diced frozen potatoes (a.k.a. homefries), others call for thawed hash brown potato shreds. All call for a cream soup base - celery, mushroom, or chicken. All have a cornflake "crust," and all feature sour cream.

This is not health food, and the recipes advise the cook to steer clear of low-fat variations on the ingredients, as they don't "gel" as well as their full-fat brethren.

I'll post the recipe I use on the site once I cook the stuff - as well as photos, if I'm not dead from the cholesterol.