A Heavy Nettle Party
Nettle chips, nettle pesto, nettle soup, a medicinal nettle tonic, nettle tea + a playlist for foraging nettles.
Nettle season might be coming to an end, but I’m determined to get the most out of this deeply nutritious herb as I possibly can.
So, in order to honour this mighty plant, here are three nettle recipes; nettle chips, nettle and nutmeg soup, nettle pesto as well as a tonic, a tea and a playlist to pick them to.
The overall consensus seems to be that the end of March or beginning of April is the best time to pick nettles:
“Nettles are definitely the best in spring when they are young and tender. I cut them early on as soon as they get 6 or 8-inches tall; this is a perfect spring tonic and delicious, nutritious food.” ~ Fine Gardening
I think in my early thirties I can finally admit I’m a late person. You will find me constantly late leaving the house, late for coffee, late to catch on with trends, and normally late to the foraging party. I’m pretty sure I’ve missed out on all the wild garlic this year.
It goes hand in hand that I’m also late for nettle season ~ I only just started picking them last week, in the middle of May. I’m sure there are some foragers out there that would be horrified at this fact. They are definitely not 6 or 8 inches tall anymore.
Some of the nettles (at the end of the shady, windy path I go down to forage) are now above waist height. This does, however, make it easier to cut the tall ones into my bag ~ much less hunching over to snip my chosen leaves.
In the beautiful book Intuitive Herbalism, Nathaniel Hughes describes nettle or ‘urtica dioica’ to call them by their latin name, as having a ‘fierce sting, yet able to catalyse such rich nutrition in our depleted selves and our depleted land.”
Deeply nutritious, (I found a lot of articles and youtube videos referring to nettle as the most nutritious plant) nettles are known to be anti-inflammatory, rich in antioxidants and the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. They are also down as a nervine herb; nettle is said to support the nervous system and help calm an anxious mind.
In this issue from the Healing Arts Press I learnt about the yearly fresh nettle eating contest held in Dorset and the ancient practice of urtication ~ “a former method of producing counterirritation of the skin by beating the area with nettles;” which has been used to treat areas of inflammation by increasing the blood flow to certain parts of the body.
Due to their abundance and famous sting, I feel nettles are often overlooked when out foraging. But, once heated their stinging ability is removed and this multi-beneficial plant they can be enjoyed in so many delicious ways.
“To avoid being stung, I do recommend you wear gloves when collecting stinging nettles, alternatively simply snip with a pair of scissors straight into your collection container, to avoid having to handle them at all.'“ ~ Craft Invaders
When out picking, I too use the technique above: I like to hold my bag out and use scissors to snip at the right angle so the the nettle tops fall straight into my tote. It feels a bit thrilling, like you’re playing a game with the plant. Will I get stung on this snip or not? I also like to tell myself that the odd sting here or there is a form of urtication and therefore must be good for me.
To celebrate this humble but mighty plant, I threw a themed nettle party last weekend.
We snacked on nettle chips, ate nettle and nutmeg soup, drank red nettle water and sipped nettle tea. Then indulged in nettle pesto the next day.
I hope you enjoy the recipes below ~ let me know if you also have a nettle themed feast too.
NETTLE TEA:
I wrote a little about nettle tea in my previous issue on nervous system regulation. I make it on the regular and on sunny days when I go to my ‘outside office’ (this consists of a picnic blanket and cushions on the grass, surrounded by my laptop and notepads), I will make a teapot of hot water so I can find some fresh nettle leaves nearby to throw in and brew.
It can also feel fun and witchy to make up a big pot with a bunch of nettles and add a variety of other herbs to the mix; raspberry leaf, lemon balm, mint or rosemary make nice additions.
One trick learnt from a magical herbalist in Glastonbury is to brew herbal teas for at least 10 minutes with a lid on. This help to keep the volatile oils and magical properties of the herbs inside the cup and stop them escaping.
NETTLE CHIPS:
Maybe one of the most enjoyable ways to cook nettles. It is so satisfying watching the soft leaves crisp up under the grill and they make a great talking point when you serve them to guests. Who will be the first to try one?
There is always the tentative pause before the first brave guest takes their first bite, “will they sting my tongue?” they wonder picking up the first chip and slowly bringing it to their lips. There is the wary face followed by a surprised smile when they realise first a) the sting is gone and b) they are deliciously more-ish.
Some recipes for nettle chips call for chilli flakes, cayenne pepper or black pepper flakes. I have omitted these ingredients here for those of us with autoimmune issues, but feel free to add them to the mix for an extra kick.
INGREDIENTS:
A bowl full of young nettle leaves
2 tbsp oil of your choice
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
RECIPE:
Wash and dry the nettles, removing the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems.
Place all the seasoning ingredients in a large bowl and mix in your leaves so they are completely covered. Warning: the leaves will still sting at this stage so resist the urge to try one and take care when handling them. (Cooking the leaves will remove the sting).
Place the nettles on a baking tray in a single layer.
Cook in the oven at around 150C until they go all crispy. They will cook at different times depending on how much moisture the leaves contain.
The chips in the photo above cooked in around 15 minutes (I turned them once during that time).
Remove the chips from the oven, pour into a bowl and enjoy :~)
Best eaten on the day they are made ~ they will start to soften over time (if there are any leftover I like to use them for the nettle pesto below).
NETTLE & NUTMEG SOUP:
I served this soup once to a family member who described it as ‘a shot of health straight to the veins,’ I think I might be inclined to agree with them.
Two summers ago, when I was living in Somerset, our delightful neighbour Patsy dropped by one day with her famous copy of the New Covent Garden Food Co ~ Book of Soups.
After handing over the book she insisted I borrow, she reached into her pocket and produced a gift of two beautiful round nutmegs she had cycled into the village to collect for me. I was told I must make the soup that day, I would not be disappointed.
This recipe is from said book and has been made countless times since then, it is one of my favourites and always a crowd pleaser. I have Patsy to thank for this one.
INGREDIENTS:
25g butter ~ or coconut oil if dairy free
1 medium onion, finely chopped
400g potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
450g freshly picked nettle tops
1 litre vegetable stock ~ or bone broth
150ml double cream
Freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional ~ kefir and extra virgin olive oil to drizzle on at the end
RECIPE:
Melt the butter and cook the onion and garlic gently for 10 minutes in a covered saucepan.
Add the potatoes and nettles and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the stock, cover bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cool a little, then blend.
Return to a clean saucepan and stir in the cream.
Season with freshly grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.
Reheat gently and serve with olive oil and kefir.
If drizzling kefir pour over the back of a spoon to stop it curdling
Enjoy :~)
Recently, I have been making the soup without the potatoes and cream ~ simply onions, garlic, a saucepan of nettles, stock, nutmeg and adding a drizzle of kefir to serve. The lack of potatoes makes for an earthier flavour, but the nutmeg brings the sweetness and the combination of the nettle and nutmeg together is a match made in heaven.
RED NETTLE WATER:
Inspired from the book Intuitive Herbalism. I’m not exactly sure how to describe the flavour of this drink, it definitely has an interesting taste; a bit metalic and like it is packed full of iron. Medicinal is perhaps the word that comes to mind, it just feels like it’s good for you.
INGREDIENTS:
A bag full freshly washed nettles
Filtered water
RECIPE:
Place the nettles in a bowl and cover with the filtered water.
Place a tea-towel or a clean linen on top.
Leave overnight.
In the morning sieve the mixture, to drain the red nettle water.
Sip throughout the day.
You can discard the leaves or keep them to make nettle fruit leather.
NETTLE PESTO:
Have you ever met anyone that doesn’t like pesto? I don’t think I ever have. Pesto just goes with everything.
I love this nettle pesto on plain lentil pasta, spread over kefir labneh, as an extra dip at a party or spooned onto fermented tomatoes and a sourdough pancake.
INGREDIENTS:
3 garlic cloves (fermented garlic is a nice addition if you have it)
2 tbsp of pine nuts, walnuts or sunflower seeds
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 handful of basil leaves
juice of half a lemon
2 big handfuls of nettles
230ml olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
RECIPE:
Bring a big pan of water to the boil and blanch the nettle leaves for a minute to remove their sting.
Drain the nettles, squeezing them to remove as much liquid as possible.
Place half the olive oil and all the other ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth ~ adding extra olive oil in small amounts until you are happy with the consistency and flavour.
Eat straight out the jar, or use as a dip, sauce or spread :~)
PLAYLIST:
And to finish: Music for foraging ~ a collection of floaty summery tunes from the likes of Khruangbin, Hermanos Gutierrez, Arc De Soleil, BALTHVS and more to listen to whilst you’re out in the sun picking leaves, berries and flowers. I hope you enjoy.
Do you love nettles too? Or have another favourite herb to forage?
Would love to hear if you have any secret nettle recipes that you make at this time of year.
There is so much more I could write about on the subject of nettles and their sting; where to grab them so they don’t sting; what happens to our bodies when they do sting; their archetype and stories of their use in healing. This will perhaps need to come at a later date or maybe even on time with the start of nettle season next year.
Wishing you a lovely week,
Fleur x