3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup uncooked rice
4 quarts stinging nettle tips, loosely packed
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
6 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1. If the nettles have any foreign material in them or if they were picked on a dusty day, you may need to wash them. Wearing rubber gloves, plunge them into a sink full of water, then lift them out of the water, leaving any debris behind.
   
2. In a soup kettle over medium-high heat, melt the butter in the olive oil. Stir in the onion and sauté until the onions are soft and just beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook until the grains are translucent, about one minute.
   
3. Pile in the nettles, the garlic and the broth and bring the soup to a full, rolling boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is very tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the soup in small batches to a blender and purée until smooth. Add the salt and pepper and serve hot.