Nettle Soup (Ciorbă de Urzici)

Nettle Soup (Ciorbă de Urzici)
Springs are often rainy in Romania, and this warm soup makes quite a delightful companion when the skies are gray. sandra.zivkovic/shutterstock
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Springs are often rainy in Romania, and this warm soup makes quite a delightful companion when the skies are gray. Although not as common as nettle purée, the soup is still a Lent favorite in many households. Again, recipe variations aren’t uncommon across Romania. Non-vegans or people who aren’t fasting serve it with a dollop of heavy sour cream.

Makes 4 servings
  • 2 pounds freshly harvested spring nettles
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 3 tablespoons white rice, washed thoroughly
  • 3/4 cup tomato juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Lemon juice to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley for garnish
Wash the fresh nettle leaves thoroughly in cold water in a deep pot. Use rubber gloves to protect your skin from the stings. Don’t drain the water; instead, remove the nettles with a skimmer to allow any impurities to fall to the vessel’s bottom before changing the water. Repeat this operation several times until the water is clear.
Mihaela Lica-Butler
Mihaela Lica-Butler
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