Stonehenge Nettle and Hazelnut Soup
A hearty nettle and hazelnut soup with Stonehenge Pork Ribs with Honey and Blackberries
City/Region: Britain
Time Period: 3000-1500 BCE
2 miles northeast of Stonehenge is Durrington Walls, where archaeologists believe the people who built and used Stonehenge lived. In addition to lots of animal bones, archaeologists have found pots that were used for cooking over or next to a fire, and 21% of the pottery shards had evidence of holding dairy fats.
Based on this and ingredients that would have been growing in Britain at the time, this soup is perhaps not the most flavorful dish I’ve ever made, but it is simple and hearty and is actually pretty good.
Ingredients:
- 3 quart (3 L) pot filled with nettles*
- 1/4 cup (40 g) lightly crushed hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) salted butter
- A small bunch wild onion or chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons (10 g) barley flour
*Wear gloves when handling uncooked nettles so that they don’t sting you.
Instructions:
- Wearing gloves so the nettles don’t sting you, fill the 3 quart (3 L) pot with nettles, then fill the pot with water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then boil for 5 minutes. Drain the nettles, reserving 1 quart (1 L) of the cooking water, and let them cool, then chop them very finely.
- To the empty pot add the hazelnuts and cook them over high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until they’re lightly toasted.
- Add the butter to the pot and let it melt, then add in the chopped nettles and the chives, and stir to coat them with the butter, sauteeing for about 15 to 20 seconds.
- Add in the reserved cooking water and bring the pot to a simmer.
- Once the pot is simmering, take out about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the liquid and whisk the barley flour into it. When it’s well mixed, stir it into the soup, reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Taste and add salt if you’d like, then serve it forth with Stonehenge Pork Ribs with Honey and Blackberries for a complete Neolithic meal.