Surely no introduction is needed for this plant - everyone who has been outdoors must at some time have accidentally brushed against them, then recoiled in pain.

Here they are - Stinging Nettles - Urtica dioica.

I picked about a colander full of tops and leaves. They did need a good wash, as there were lots of little insects crawling on them.

I decided to make nettle and potato soup - I chopped and fried a small onion - just until the pieces began to brown at the edges.

Then I added the nettles, a few peeled and diced potatoes and a pint of good chicken stock.

After about 20 minutes of simmering, the potatoes were cooked and the nettles were too.

I took the pan off the heat and processed the soup with a handheld blender - this could also be done in a blender/liquidiser or food processor - but carefully, as hot liquids can be tricky to blend.

The soup was seasoned with a little pepper, salt and nutmeg, then served with toast.

The Final Verdict

Really very good indeed - nettles have what I would describe as an 'expensive vegetable flavour' - which although unique, is comparable to asparagus or artichokes - rich, nutty and satisfying. There's also a spicy note in there - something a bit like ginger, although it's subtle.

This is one wild food I will certainly be revisiting in future. Why did I wait this long?

The Gloves. Never Attempt Anything Without The Gloves

I foolishly imagined I could get away with 'grasping the nettle firmly' - and it's true that if you grab a nettle stem or leaf quickly and firmly, you are less likely to get stung than if you just brush against them gently - hover, it's almost impossible to go and pick a bunch of nettle tops without brushing against at least a few.

As a result, various parts of my hands are still tingling and prickling as I type this

But never mind - it was worth it - as it turned out, all those people who recommended nettles as a food, were right. Why that should be surprising I don't know. Anyway, nettles are a first class wild food.