Foraging nettles…and a recipe…
Picking nettles without stinging yourself!
I will be co-leading a Mindfulness and cooking/ eating retreat at Sharpham next Autumn, it is going to be a very nourishing retreat, for body mind and soul… Here is a link to it: Moments to Savour- Conscious cooking and mindful eating
Seasonal foraging can be so rewarding, and with this one, easy to find!
Nettles are everywhere wether you live in a city or the countryside…
We are very lucky that our wonderful gardeners at Sharpham harvest tray fulls for us but I also enjoy picking them myself, an occasion to connect with nature…
Nettles are amazing and despite them being considered a weed, they have a special place on our plates and give us amazing nourishment…perfect after winter…
Nettles are a "superfood" with one of the highest nutrient densities of any plant.
They are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, silicon, and potassium, which are essential for bone strength and blood health. Often recommended to women for their iron content to help support menstruation, they also contains significant amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and several B vitamins, and
some of the compounds in nettle may help lower blood sugar, with studies showing its potential to mimic insulin effects.
It is historically and currently used as a tonic to treat rheumatism and arthritis.
A few tips for picking it:
If picking with bare hands, grasp the stem from the bottom and move upward, or pinch the very top of the plant, moving in an upward motion. This brushes the hairs upward, preventing them from piercing the skin.
"Grasp the Nettle": Firm, confident pressure is less likely to cause a sting than a light, hesitant touch, which triggers the stinging hairs.
Use Tools: Use scissors or shears to snip the tops directly into a bag or basket.
Young plants are tender and the most delicious.
Avoid Flowering Plants: Do not pick nettles once they have begun to flower, as they can develop compounds that are tough and bad for the kidneys.
Location: Pick in clean areas, away from roadsides, as they can absorb pollutants.
Once picked, the stinging hairs can be deactivated easily:
Cooking/Blanching: Plunge the nettles into boiling water for 1–2 minutes, then immediately into ice water.
Drying: Dehydrating the leaves removes the ability to sting.
Massaging/Rolling: Massaging the raw leaves with gloves or rolling them with a rolling pin breaks the stingers.
To clean nettles, always wear gloves to avoid stings. Wash them by plunging them into a sink or bowl of cold water, swirling them to remove debris. Afterward, blanch the leaves in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, then immediately place them in an ice-water bath, which removes all stinging properties.
Nettle soup
Serves 4
1 TBSP olive oil
1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped - Or if you can forage wild garlic, a handful of wild garlic leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
A few pinches of salt
1 /2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp ground ginger
A pinch of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 l vegetable stock
300g white potatoes, peeled and diced small
100g fresh nettle tops, rinsed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Note: If you have a high speed blender you will not need to blanch the nettles before cooking. If all you have is a stick blender, I have found it easier to blanch the nettles, then chop them small, removing the thick stalk before adding to the soup.
In a large soup pan, heat the oil and add the leeks, a pinch of salt and cook for a few minutes until soft.
Then add the garlic, fennel seeds, ginger, nutmeg and herbs, cook for a couple if minutes.
Now add the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer for about 10 minutes.
If using raw nettles add them in now and cook for another 8 min or so. If you have blanched and chopped the nettles already these can be added now but won’t need much longer to cook- perhaps another 5 minutes.
Make sure the potatoes are cooked through and when they are remove the soup from the heat, add the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.
Blend until smooth.
To serve, you could squeeze a little more lemon juice, sprinkle some black pepper, drizzle a little olive oil, or sprinkle some hulled hemp seeds, pumpkin or sunflower seeds… or make some croutons… use different seeds…the topping possibilities are endless… a dash of cream could be lovely too…
This blog was written for The Sharpham Trust as well as this blog - see What’s on at Sharpham Here.
