Ingredients

• 500 g fresh young nettles
• 1.5 kg chicken stock
• 200 ml plain yogurt
• 80 g short grain rice
• 1 piece onion
• 3 clove garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 piece egg yolk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 10 piece fresh mint leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Clean the nettles

   Wearing thick gloves, rinse nettles thoroughly under cold running water for 3-4 minutes. Remove tough stems and damaged leaves, keeping only tender young leaves and soft stems. The leaves should look bright green and fresh. Do not touch nettles with bare hands as they will sting.

2. Blanch the nettles

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add nettles and blanch for 2-3 minutes until they turn bright green and wilt completely. Drain immediately and rinse with cold water until cool. The nettles should feel soft and no longer sting. Do not overcook or they will become mushy.

3. Prepare aromatics

   Finely dice the onion into 5mm pieces and mince the garlic. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat for 1 minute until melted and fragrant. Add onion and cook for 6-8 minutes until soft and translucent. The onion should not brown or caramelize.

4. Add rice and stock

   Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in rice and cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat. The mixture should bubble gently. Do not let it boil vigorously or rice may break apart.

5. Simmer rice

   Cover and simmer on low heat for 15-18 minutes until rice is tender and cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The rice should be soft but still hold its shape. Do not let the bottom scorch.

6. Blend nettles

   Roughly chop the blanched nettles and add to the pot. Using an immersion blender, blend for 30-45 seconds until nettles are finely chopped but some texture remains. The soup should be bright green with visible nettle pieces. Do not over-blend into a completely smooth puree.

7. Prepare yogurt mixture

   In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, egg yolk, and flour until completely smooth with no lumps. Slowly add 2 ladles of hot soup while whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes to temper the mixture. The mixture should be warm but not curdled. Do not add hot soup too quickly or eggs will scramble.

8. Finish the soup

   Remove soup from heat and slowly stir in the yogurt mixture over 2-3 minutes while mixing constantly. Add salt, pepper, and torn mint leaves. The soup should be creamy and pale green with no lumps. Do not boil after adding yogurt or it will curdle.

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