1. Nettle Soup (March)

A vibrant, nutrient-rich soup made with young spring nettles, picked early in the season before they flower. Did you know that nettles contain more iron and potassium than spinach, by weight?

Ingredients:

• 200g of young nettle leaves (washed and blanched). Choose just the top 2 sets of leaves from each plant

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 litre vegetable stock

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.

2. Add the diced potatoes and stock. Simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

3. Add the nettle leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Blend the soup until smooth, season to taste, and serve with crusty bread.

2. Wild Garlic Pesto (March)

A delicious twist on traditional pesto, perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or drizzling over roasted vegetables using wild garlic found in shaded woodlands

Ingredients:

• 100g wild garlic leaves

• 50g pine nuts (or walnuts for a twist)

• 50g Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast for a vegan option)

• 100ml olive oil

• Juice of half a lemon

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan until golden.

2. Blend the wild garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor until smooth.

3. Season to taste and store in an airtight jar in the fridge.

3. Seaweed Crisps (February and March)

A light and salty snack made from foraged seaweed such as Dulse or Laver, harvested from clean coastal areas. Check how clean your your local beach is by clicking here

Ingredients:

• Fresh dulse or laver seaweed

• Olive oil

• Sea salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

2. Wash and dry the seaweed thoroughly.

3. Toss in a little olive oil and spread on a baking tray.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes until crispy. Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!

Want to learn more about foraging for wild ingredients? Find out out more about our forthcoming workshops in Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire by clicking here

We currently run foraging workshops throughout the year in the New Forest, on the Dorset coast and on Salisbury Plain. More details available by emailing hello@experiencehampshire.uk