You've probably guessed by now I've been collecting wildfood recipes for a little while. This is half of my webfile for nettle:
Many seem to be variations on a soup theme.
Russian nettle soup
200 g nettles 3 carrots
2 onions bunch of leeks and sorrel
1,5 l broth 3 eggs
sourcream salt, laurel, b.pepper
1 tbsp flour
Blanche the nettles in boiling water for some time, chop or process and sautee on a pan with butter for 10-15 minutes.
Fry chopped onions and carrots in butter.
On a pan fry the flour in butter until slightly brown. Mix with some spoons of sourcream.
Bring the broth to the boil, add nettle puree, laurel, pepper, salt, vegetables and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Add sorrel, flour mass and mix ito the soup.
This should be served with sliced hardboiled egg, fresh sourcream and some chopped dill or parsley.
Nettle Aloo
Potatoes (waxy textured)
Nettles
Water
1 or 2 garlic cloves (or Ransomes if cooking in spring)
Butter or Oil
Mustard seeds
1 tsp. Ground coriander
1 tsp. Ground paprika
A large onion sliced thinly
Ground cardomom seed (pinch)
Cayenne (pinch)
Salt and ground balck pepper to season
Rinse the nettle leaves and shake off the excess water. Place in a pot on a low heat to sweat down gently. Remove from the heat and drain off excess liquid. Put to one side.
Cut the peeled potatoes into 1 inch cube, and place in a pan with a small amount of boiling water to cook until just tender.
Heat the butter or oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Cook gently until they begin to pop. Add the onion and garlic and sautee everything together untilthe onion is soft and clear but not browned, then add the other spices. Mix thoroughly.
Take the drained potatoes and the nettle puree and stir them gently into the mixture, taking care not to squash the potato or mash it.
Season as liked, then allow the mix to cook a little longer to drive of any excess liquid.
Serve as it is or as a side dish to a main meal.
Cream of Nettle soup
Don't worry - they don't sting when cooked! Nettles are very nutrient rich and of course - free! Don't gather them beside a busy road where they will have been contaminated by traffic fumes - we pick them in our garden. If you keep cutting them from springtime you get a regular supply of fresh leaves. Though we stop using them into summer as they seem to get rather insecty!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of vegan margarine or oil
2 tablespoons of white flour
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly picked and washed young nettles (several good handfuls - picked with gloves and caution!)
2 cups soya milk
1 cup water or stock
salt and pepper to taste
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil or marg. for a few minutes then stir in the nettles (no need to chop or remove stalks) until they soften. Stir in the flour and gradually add the soya milk and water or stock, stirring all the time. Add seasonings and liquidise. Delicious...
Lady Ridley's Nettle Soup
Why not try Lady Ridley's nettle soup recipe? Let us know what you think or tell us your own favourite nettle recipe.
Ingredients:
1 lb potatoes
½ lb young nettles
2 oz butter
1½ pts chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt & black pepper
4 tablespoons sour cream
Method:
Cook the peeled, chopped potatoes for 10 mins in salted water. Drain.
Wash & chop coarsely the nettles (Only pick the new, young tops,using gloves!)
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the nettles and stew gently for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and heated stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
When all is soft, cool slightly & purée in a blender, adding seasoning and the sour cream.
Nettle Syrup GWIN DANADL POETHION
Gather the tops of young nettles, wash well and to every 1lb of nettles, add 1 quart of water. Boil for 1 hour, stain and to each pint of juice add 1lb sugar, boil for 30 minutes. When cold, bottle. Can be used as a blood purifiers and makes a cooling drink when soda water is added.
NETTLE AND BURDOCK DRINK
2 quarts of nettles
2 ozs. hops
2 ozs. burdock
6 quarts water
2 lb. sugar
1 lemon
2 ozs. yeast
Boil nettles, hops and burdock slowly for half-an-hour. Strain, add sugar and cut up lemon. Leave till luke-warm. Put the yeast, spread on round of toasted bread, on top of brew. Leave for 12 hours. Bottle and make airtight. Can be used in 12 hours.
Irish Nettle soup
12 oz/350 g nettle leaves and young, tender stems
3-4 oz/75-110 g butter
A mixture of leek, onion and celery, roughly chopped (about 6 oz/175 g total weight)
2.5 pints/1.5 litres chicken stock
1.5 lb/675 g potatoes, sliced
0.75 pint/425 ml single cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Wash the nettles. Melt 3 oz/75 g of the butter in a heavy based pan and sweat the leek, onion, celery and the nettles for 5 to 6 minutes without browning. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil, then add the potatoes. Cook over a low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes.
Liquidize the soup to a fine puree, then return it to the pan, and add the cream. Salt and pepper to taste, reheat gently and check the consistency. Some extra butter may be whisked in for a richer, smoother finish. Garnish each serving with a blanched nettle leaf.
Serves 8
Recipe for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls nettle soup
Our soup is an accurately and lovingly scaled-up version of this simple recipe, which you can easily make yourself at home. Pick just the top few leaves of fresh young nettles that have not yet gone to seed. And wash them very thoroughly, or the soup may be gritty.
25g/7/8oz butter
50g/1¾oz onions, chopped
125g/43/8oz celeriac, peeled and diced
250g/8¾oz leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
750ml/1¼pt vegetable stock
250g/ 8¾oz nettle tops, thoroughly washed
125g/43/8oz cooked potatoes
250ml/5/12pt hot milk
50ml/1/12pt double cream
A pinch of salt
Melt the butter in a heavy pan, add the onion, leeks and celeriac, and sweat gently for about 10 minutes to soften the onions and leeks.
Add half the vegetable stock, simmer for up to 10 minutes until the celeriac is quite tender.
Add the nettle tops and the rest of the stock, with a good pinch of salt, bring back to the boil, and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the nettles are wilted and tender.
Add the cooked potatoes, hot milk and double cream. Blend until fairly smooth, but still just a little textured, with very fine flecks of nettle leaf still visible.
Eat at once, or chill to serve later. If reheating, heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally, but do not allow to reboil.
The soup is also delicious served chilled. Just stir the soup gently in the pot, and pour into bowls. Add a dash of cream, crème fraîche or yoghurt, and a sprinkling of chopped chives.
Nettle & ricotta gnocchi, with green peas and asparagus
For the Gnocchi
250g ricotta
2 handfuls of nettles
1 egg
1tbsp flour
1tbsp parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
200g fresh garden peas
2 bunches of asparagus
olive oil
1 bunch chervil
Boil the nettles for 2 minutes in hot salted water, drain and blend to get a thick nettle puree.
In a mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, flour, nettle puree, olive oil and parmesan, until you have a thick green cream. Taste and season well. Put in the fridge for an hour.
Wash the peas and peel the asparagus stalks.
Use two spoons to make gnocchi shapes with the ricotta mixture. When you are ready to eat, cook them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes.
Lift them out with a slotted spoon as they are ready and keep them on an oiled plate.
Put a pan on a high heat with a glug of olive oil. When the oil is smoking, toss in the peas and asparagus. Shake vigorously and add salt and 1 large glass or water. Cover the pan and cook for 4 minutes on a high heat.
Flash the gnocchi under a hot grill to heart up and serve on a hot place with the peas, asparagus and chopped chervil.
Nettle Puree with Feta Cheese
1 kg Nettle tops,
5 tbsp plain flour,
100 g butter,
200 g feta cheese/brined sheep's cheese,
2 eggs,
salt,
1-2 medium onions, finely chopped
Wash the nettles, chop coarsely & cook for about 15 minutes in a small amount of water, drain, leave to cool, then puree.
In a pan melt the butter, add the flour, then the onions and fry for about 5 minutes. Add 150 ml water (or milk) and the pureed nettles, bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs (beaten) and the crumbled cheese. Cook for further 5 minutes and take off the hob.
Nettle flan
2 tb Olive oil
1 lg Onion; chopped
2 Cloves garlic; crushed
1lb Young Nettle tops
2 md Size eggs
½ ts Ground nutmeg
250 g Ricotta or curd cheese; (8oz)
50 g Parmesan cheese; grated (2oz)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
350 g Plain wholemeal flour; (12oz)
175 g Margarine; (6oz)
Iced water
1 Egg; size 3, beaten to
; glaze
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until softened.
Add the garlic and rinsed nettles and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly then beat in the eggs, nutmeg, cheeses and seasoning.
To make the pastry, place the flour in a bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add enough water to mix to a firm dough then turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.
Cut off two thirds of the pastry, roll out thinly and use to line a 23cm (9 inch) flan dish, leaving the pastry overlapping the side.
Spread the filling evenly in the pastry case and moisten the pastry edges.
Roll out remaining pastry and cut into 5cm (1/4 inch) strips.
Arrange in a lattice pattern over the filling and press the edges to secure.
Trim off any excess pastry and brush with the egg. Place in a preheated oven 200 øC, 400 øF, Gas Mark 6 for 45-50 minutes, until golden.
CARROT SOUP WITH YOUNG NETTLE TOPS
This takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook
450 g (1 lb) carrots, scrubbed
1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
celery rib, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
710 ml (1&1/4 pints) vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
110 g (4 oz) young nettle tops, rinsed and tough stems discarded
30 g (1 oz) croutons
Combine first 5 ingredients in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a food processor or blender. Add a small amount of cooking liquid and purée vegetables. Return purée to saucepan with stock. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Place nettles in a food processor or blender. Add 240 ml (8&1/2 fl oz) of soup to nettles and purée. Stir nettle purée into soup and serve hot with croutons.
YOUNG NETTLE TOPS GARNISHED WITH CROÛTONS
1lb young nettle tops
2 eggs
butter
salt and pepper to season
Croutons to garnish
Pick the nettle tops carefully, and see that no stalks or weeds are left among them then wash it in several waters and shake lightly to remove excess water.
Put into a very large saucepan, with a knob of butter and a very small amount of water (just sufficient to keep the nettles from burning) add a pinch of salt.
Press frequently with a wooden spoon, and when they have sweated gently for a little more than 10 minutes or are perfectly tender, drain into a colander until quite dry and chop finely.
Poach the two eggs lightly so that the yolks are still runny, and whilst doing that put the nettles back into the pan, with another knob of butter and a seasoning of ground black pepper.
Stir until quite hot; then put it onto a warmed dish, make two small hollows with a spoon and garnish each with a poached egg.
Scatter some tiny toasted croutons around the outside of the nettle puree.
Note.Grated nutmeg, pounded mace, or lemon-juice may also be added to enrich the flavour.
Potato Nettle Soup
2 cups Nettle Leaves (young shoots)
1 Onion
6 small Potatoes
8 cups Water
1 tsp Vegi-Sal
1 tsp. Parsley
3 cloves Garlic
Puree onion, garlic, and nettles with 1 cup of water. Cut potatoes into small pieces. Simmer pureed mixture with potatoes and remaining water for 45 minutes or until tender. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes making the soup thick and creamy
Home Brewing - Nettle Wine
Thank you to Wayne Riddell for this excellent How-To article. Please visit him at www.waynesworlds.org.uk
Love them or loathe them if you have a garden or an allotment your sure to have these little devils, and the person who makes a product which irradicates them completely forever and ever will make themselves a very rich person. Until then we are stuck with them!
Nutritionally the nettle is a very good source of vitamins but the fact that it has a nasty stinging rash when touched probably leaves a lasting attitude from our child hood.
As we have a fair few patches of nettles around the land I have decided that rather than trying to irradicate them with chemicals, to use them instead in a more productive way.
This month I have used them to make nettle wine, which wont be ready for at least another few months but I will have a sneak taste when racking in about two months. Must admit it doesnt look very nice rather like ale than wine but it is all in the taste!
The quantities in this recipe are the same I use in parsnip and carrot wine making so have a try at all three. Parsnip has to be the favourite but carrot hits the spot just as well.
Ingredients
2 kg of sliced carrots, parsnips, or nettles
1kg of granulated sugar
1 heaped teaspoon of yeast (make sure it is suitable for brewing)
1 small handful of currants
Method
Boil your selected vegetable or nettles in a gallon of water for at least half an hour. Once boiled strain the liquid into a bowl and give the veg to the animals or compost.
Whilst the liquid is still hot add the 1kg of sugar to the liquid and stir until dissolved. Once done leave the liquid to cool.
Whilst waiting for the liquid to cool add a few teaspoons of sugar to hot water and ensure the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar dissolves add cold water to make a lukewarm solution. To this add the heaped teaspoon of yeast and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved leave in a warm place to activate. After half an hour you should notice a layer of froth which indicates the yeast is active.
Ensuring that both solutions are lukewarm at most add them together mix and pour into a demi john. At this point you may find that a lot of water has been evapourated off and leaves the demi john quite empty, I always top up with cooled boiled water, and add the currants at this stage. At this stage the sterilised airlock can be inserted to ensure no nasties get in. Aword of warning though
If you do choose to make nettle wine leave a big gap to the neck as you will find that over the next few hours that the yeast will cause enough CO2 bubbles to push them into the airlock risking allowing the nasties in if not watched, and for a few days you will wonder if you did something wrong as the picture below seems to suggest!
This has only happened to me with nettle wine and it does settle after a few days at which point I just clean the airlock and replace it with fresh water. As a general rule the first racking should occur after fermentation has stopped which is usually 3 months, then another racking after a further 3 months, then rack into bottles through a filter and try to leave for a further 3 months.
Seems like a long time eh! I cant resist after 3 months it definately tastes of wine but is quite sweet just the way I like it the further you leave it the stronger it will get.To give you some idea at 9 months old I will only drink 3 glasses in one go and feel quite merry with it. Well best wishes and if your quick you can have your own wine for christmas!
From: http://www.acountrylife.com/plug.php?p=catalog&action=show_catalogitem&ci_id=89&ci_category=14
Russian Nettle Soup
Nettle is one of the first plants to show up in spring. It contains many valuable nutrients including vitamin C. It is a widespread weed growing practically everywhere people allow it to grow. The best for soups and salads are the youngest upper two or four leaves. Do not make this soup after June as nettles then start to form oxalic acid and can cause tummy ache.
Ingredients:
4 cups nettles rinsed with boiling water and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 T rice (uncooked)
2 eggs
1 sprig parsley, root and greens, chopped
1 stalk celery (with leaves), chopped
8 peppercorns, whole
4 cloves garlic, minced
Enough chicken stock to give the consistency you prefer. 2 pints?
Salt (to taste)
Garnish with Lemon Juice, Fresh Dill, Sour Cream
Carefully pick the tips (top 4 leaves and shoot) of spring shooting nettles, a saucepan full will suffice. Blanch the nettles in boiling water and drain quickly.
Place all the other ingredients except the stock, lemon juice and dill in a large saucepan with the butter and gently fry until slightly transparent. Transfer all to a food mixer and add the nettles. Wiz until reasonably uniform in consistency but not completely pureed.
Put back into the saucepan with the stock and bring gently to the boil.
Serve with a good dollop of sour cream lemon juice and fresh dill
Recipes for Cream of Nettle and Asparagus Soup
If you have a favourite recipe, especially a vegetable based recipe, why not send it to me for the site.
Sent in by: Granny Dumplin
Ingredients
4 baking size potatoes peeled & 1 inch cubed.
1 bunch of the woody ends of asparagus (Perhaps those leftovers from the barbecued asparagus recipe)
1 large Spanish onion roughly chopped.
1 bunch of wild garlic leaves (you can find these growing in wild in our country lanes) or 3 cloves of garlic chopped.
2 pints hot stock (chicken or veg).
1 Cup whipping cream.
½ Carrier bag of nettle tops (well washed & chopped).
1 hand full chopped flat leaf parsley.
½ hand of chopped chives.
¼ tea spoon Chilli seeds (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste.
Method
Place onion, garlic, chilli seeds & potatoes in a thick bottom pan, and just cover with the hot stock.
Bring back to a rolling boil & simmer till potatoes are well cooked.
Roughly mash complete mixture.
Remove from heat.
Stir in nettles & ½ parsley.
Cover pan & allow to cool.
When cool blend well in processor.
Strain mixture back into pan, add cream & gently reduce till soup thickens (or use corn flour).
Add salt & pepper to taste, add rest of chopped parsley & all the chives.
Notes:
Serve piping hot with ripped up chunks of crusty loaf with lashings of real butter. Float a chive flower head in the centre of each bowl (optional)
This dish is the best of a British spring hedgerow in a bowl.
Recipes for Spinach/nettle/sea beet Souffle by: Wali Hawes
Ingredients
2lb cooked spinach
1 tea cup thick white sauce
Seasoning to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Grated Nutmeg
3 eggs
Method
Drain the spinach thoroughly, and rub it through a sieve, season it and add the lemon juice, nutmeg, the white sauce and the well beaten yolks of the eggs.
Stir in lightly, the beaten whites and pour the mixture into a well greased pie dish.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes or until it is well risen and firm to the touch.
Eat hot or cold!
Nettle Frittata
by Mark Gordon of Rose's Café in SF
Yield: 6 portions
½ # Cleaned Nettle Tops
4 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, Chopped
6 lg Organic Eggs
¼ C Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Preheat oven to 300º Cook 1/3rd of the nettles in one tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Cook until tender adding a small amount of water if needed. Repeat this 2 more times adding the garlic on the third batch. Place all of the cooked nettles on a cutting board and chop finely. Place the nettles in a bowl of a food processor with the eggs, salt, pepper and process until the nettles are incorporated into the eggs. Add the cream and process for 10 seconds. Heat the non-stick pan on medium with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the nettle mixture and with a rubber spatula move the eggs around to get the entire mixture warm. Place into the oven and cook for about 12 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes then turn the frittata out onto a plate and cut.
Nettle Tisane
Nettle tea is pleasantly herbacious without tasting like you are steeping a suburban lawn. I find the afternotes' especially pleasant and mellow. Nettle tea is reported to be a great blood and liver tonic. A nice thing about this recipe: you can use the whole leaf and stem, no need to remove the leaves from the stems. I use a little tea strainer when pouring the final tisane into cups.
1 pyrex measuring cup
boiling water
nettles to loosely fill 1/3 to 1/2 of the measuring cup
1. Soak the nettles in cool/cold water for a few minutes.
2. Boil the water
3. Rinse nettles, using tongs or dishwashing gloves to not sting your hands.
4 Place cleaned nettles in measuring cup or teapot or glass bowl, pour water over to fill cup, and steep the tisane' (a tea made with fresh herb) for 5 or so minutes. Enjoy.
Sauteed Nettles with Green Garlic & Olive Oil
Created by: Armando "Tiny" Maes of Rose Pistola
serves 6
1 ¼ # Nettles, Cleaned
3T Green Garlic (Chopped)
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper (To Taste)
First preheat a large sauté pan on medium high heat, (one large enough to accommodate the nettles, you can even use a large pot as well). Second pour ¼ cup of the olive oil into the preheated pan. Then put all of the green garlic into the pan sauté briefly for about 30 seconds, just enough time for the green garlic to release its essential oils, being sure not to brown or burn the green garlic. Place the nettles into the pan and give it a good stir, let sit for just a second and then continue the stirring process. Once the nettles are completely wilted place them on a plate, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and place a couple of lemon wedges for garnish.
Note: The nettles do not have the water content like spinach or other similar greens. So it might help to put a couple Tablespoons of water into the pan after the nettles have started cooking, just to hurry the cooking process. Myself I do not put the water, because I like the texture of the nettles when you sauté them. It is like little crispy nettle leaves and it also brings about a certain nuttiness.
See next post for more recipes.
Many seem to be variations on a soup theme.
Russian nettle soup
200 g nettles 3 carrots
2 onions bunch of leeks and sorrel
1,5 l broth 3 eggs
sourcream salt, laurel, b.pepper
1 tbsp flour
Blanche the nettles in boiling water for some time, chop or process and sautee on a pan with butter for 10-15 minutes.
Fry chopped onions and carrots in butter.
On a pan fry the flour in butter until slightly brown. Mix with some spoons of sourcream.
Bring the broth to the boil, add nettle puree, laurel, pepper, salt, vegetables and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Add sorrel, flour mass and mix ito the soup.
This should be served with sliced hardboiled egg, fresh sourcream and some chopped dill or parsley.
Nettle Aloo
Potatoes (waxy textured)
Nettles
Water
1 or 2 garlic cloves (or Ransomes if cooking in spring)
Butter or Oil
Mustard seeds
1 tsp. Ground coriander
1 tsp. Ground paprika
A large onion sliced thinly
Ground cardomom seed (pinch)
Cayenne (pinch)
Salt and ground balck pepper to season
Rinse the nettle leaves and shake off the excess water. Place in a pot on a low heat to sweat down gently. Remove from the heat and drain off excess liquid. Put to one side.
Cut the peeled potatoes into 1 inch cube, and place in a pan with a small amount of boiling water to cook until just tender.
Heat the butter or oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Cook gently until they begin to pop. Add the onion and garlic and sautee everything together untilthe onion is soft and clear but not browned, then add the other spices. Mix thoroughly.
Take the drained potatoes and the nettle puree and stir them gently into the mixture, taking care not to squash the potato or mash it.
Season as liked, then allow the mix to cook a little longer to drive of any excess liquid.
Serve as it is or as a side dish to a main meal.
Cream of Nettle soup
Don't worry - they don't sting when cooked! Nettles are very nutrient rich and of course - free! Don't gather them beside a busy road where they will have been contaminated by traffic fumes - we pick them in our garden. If you keep cutting them from springtime you get a regular supply of fresh leaves. Though we stop using them into summer as they seem to get rather insecty!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of vegan margarine or oil
2 tablespoons of white flour
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Freshly picked and washed young nettles (several good handfuls - picked with gloves and caution!)
2 cups soya milk
1 cup water or stock
salt and pepper to taste
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil or marg. for a few minutes then stir in the nettles (no need to chop or remove stalks) until they soften. Stir in the flour and gradually add the soya milk and water or stock, stirring all the time. Add seasonings and liquidise. Delicious...
Lady Ridley's Nettle Soup
Why not try Lady Ridley's nettle soup recipe? Let us know what you think or tell us your own favourite nettle recipe.
Ingredients:
1 lb potatoes
½ lb young nettles
2 oz butter
1½ pts chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt & black pepper
4 tablespoons sour cream
Method:
Cook the peeled, chopped potatoes for 10 mins in salted water. Drain.
Wash & chop coarsely the nettles (Only pick the new, young tops,using gloves!)
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the nettles and stew gently for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and heated stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
When all is soft, cool slightly & purée in a blender, adding seasoning and the sour cream.
Nettle Syrup GWIN DANADL POETHION
Gather the tops of young nettles, wash well and to every 1lb of nettles, add 1 quart of water. Boil for 1 hour, stain and to each pint of juice add 1lb sugar, boil for 30 minutes. When cold, bottle. Can be used as a blood purifiers and makes a cooling drink when soda water is added.
NETTLE AND BURDOCK DRINK
2 quarts of nettles
2 ozs. hops
2 ozs. burdock
6 quarts water
2 lb. sugar
1 lemon
2 ozs. yeast
Boil nettles, hops and burdock slowly for half-an-hour. Strain, add sugar and cut up lemon. Leave till luke-warm. Put the yeast, spread on round of toasted bread, on top of brew. Leave for 12 hours. Bottle and make airtight. Can be used in 12 hours.
Irish Nettle soup
12 oz/350 g nettle leaves and young, tender stems
3-4 oz/75-110 g butter
A mixture of leek, onion and celery, roughly chopped (about 6 oz/175 g total weight)
2.5 pints/1.5 litres chicken stock
1.5 lb/675 g potatoes, sliced
0.75 pint/425 ml single cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
Wash the nettles. Melt 3 oz/75 g of the butter in a heavy based pan and sweat the leek, onion, celery and the nettles for 5 to 6 minutes without browning. Add the chicken stock and bring to the boil, then add the potatoes. Cook over a low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes.
Liquidize the soup to a fine puree, then return it to the pan, and add the cream. Salt and pepper to taste, reheat gently and check the consistency. Some extra butter may be whisked in for a richer, smoother finish. Garnish each serving with a blanched nettle leaf.
Serves 8
Recipe for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls nettle soup
Our soup is an accurately and lovingly scaled-up version of this simple recipe, which you can easily make yourself at home. Pick just the top few leaves of fresh young nettles that have not yet gone to seed. And wash them very thoroughly, or the soup may be gritty.
25g/7/8oz butter
50g/1¾oz onions, chopped
125g/43/8oz celeriac, peeled and diced
250g/8¾oz leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
750ml/1¼pt vegetable stock
250g/ 8¾oz nettle tops, thoroughly washed
125g/43/8oz cooked potatoes
250ml/5/12pt hot milk
50ml/1/12pt double cream
A pinch of salt
Melt the butter in a heavy pan, add the onion, leeks and celeriac, and sweat gently for about 10 minutes to soften the onions and leeks.
Add half the vegetable stock, simmer for up to 10 minutes until the celeriac is quite tender.
Add the nettle tops and the rest of the stock, with a good pinch of salt, bring back to the boil, and simmer for 6-8 minutes until the nettles are wilted and tender.
Add the cooked potatoes, hot milk and double cream. Blend until fairly smooth, but still just a little textured, with very fine flecks of nettle leaf still visible.
Eat at once, or chill to serve later. If reheating, heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally, but do not allow to reboil.
The soup is also delicious served chilled. Just stir the soup gently in the pot, and pour into bowls. Add a dash of cream, crème fraîche or yoghurt, and a sprinkling of chopped chives.
Nettle & ricotta gnocchi, with green peas and asparagus
For the Gnocchi
250g ricotta
2 handfuls of nettles
1 egg
1tbsp flour
1tbsp parmesan cheese
salt & pepper
200g fresh garden peas
2 bunches of asparagus
olive oil
1 bunch chervil
Boil the nettles for 2 minutes in hot salted water, drain and blend to get a thick nettle puree.
In a mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, flour, nettle puree, olive oil and parmesan, until you have a thick green cream. Taste and season well. Put in the fridge for an hour.
Wash the peas and peel the asparagus stalks.
Use two spoons to make gnocchi shapes with the ricotta mixture. When you are ready to eat, cook them in boiling salted water for 2 minutes.
Lift them out with a slotted spoon as they are ready and keep them on an oiled plate.
Put a pan on a high heat with a glug of olive oil. When the oil is smoking, toss in the peas and asparagus. Shake vigorously and add salt and 1 large glass or water. Cover the pan and cook for 4 minutes on a high heat.
Flash the gnocchi under a hot grill to heart up and serve on a hot place with the peas, asparagus and chopped chervil.
Nettle Puree with Feta Cheese
1 kg Nettle tops,
5 tbsp plain flour,
100 g butter,
200 g feta cheese/brined sheep's cheese,
2 eggs,
salt,
1-2 medium onions, finely chopped
Wash the nettles, chop coarsely & cook for about 15 minutes in a small amount of water, drain, leave to cool, then puree.
In a pan melt the butter, add the flour, then the onions and fry for about 5 minutes. Add 150 ml water (or milk) and the pureed nettles, bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the eggs (beaten) and the crumbled cheese. Cook for further 5 minutes and take off the hob.
Nettle flan
2 tb Olive oil
1 lg Onion; chopped
2 Cloves garlic; crushed
1lb Young Nettle tops
2 md Size eggs
½ ts Ground nutmeg
250 g Ricotta or curd cheese; (8oz)
50 g Parmesan cheese; grated (2oz)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
350 g Plain wholemeal flour; (12oz)
175 g Margarine; (6oz)
Iced water
1 Egg; size 3, beaten to
; glaze
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until softened.
Add the garlic and rinsed nettles and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly then beat in the eggs, nutmeg, cheeses and seasoning.
To make the pastry, place the flour in a bowl and rub in the margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add enough water to mix to a firm dough then turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly until smooth.
Cut off two thirds of the pastry, roll out thinly and use to line a 23cm (9 inch) flan dish, leaving the pastry overlapping the side.
Spread the filling evenly in the pastry case and moisten the pastry edges.
Roll out remaining pastry and cut into 5cm (1/4 inch) strips.
Arrange in a lattice pattern over the filling and press the edges to secure.
Trim off any excess pastry and brush with the egg. Place in a preheated oven 200 øC, 400 øF, Gas Mark 6 for 45-50 minutes, until golden.
CARROT SOUP WITH YOUNG NETTLE TOPS
This takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook
450 g (1 lb) carrots, scrubbed
1 small parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
celery rib, cut into 5 cm (2 inch) pieces
710 ml (1&1/4 pints) vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoons nutmeg
110 g (4 oz) young nettle tops, rinsed and tough stems discarded
30 g (1 oz) croutons
Combine first 5 ingredients in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a food processor or blender. Add a small amount of cooking liquid and purée vegetables. Return purée to saucepan with stock. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Place nettles in a food processor or blender. Add 240 ml (8&1/2 fl oz) of soup to nettles and purée. Stir nettle purée into soup and serve hot with croutons.
YOUNG NETTLE TOPS GARNISHED WITH CROÛTONS
1lb young nettle tops
2 eggs
butter
salt and pepper to season
Croutons to garnish
Pick the nettle tops carefully, and see that no stalks or weeds are left among them then wash it in several waters and shake lightly to remove excess water.
Put into a very large saucepan, with a knob of butter and a very small amount of water (just sufficient to keep the nettles from burning) add a pinch of salt.
Press frequently with a wooden spoon, and when they have sweated gently for a little more than 10 minutes or are perfectly tender, drain into a colander until quite dry and chop finely.
Poach the two eggs lightly so that the yolks are still runny, and whilst doing that put the nettles back into the pan, with another knob of butter and a seasoning of ground black pepper.
Stir until quite hot; then put it onto a warmed dish, make two small hollows with a spoon and garnish each with a poached egg.
Scatter some tiny toasted croutons around the outside of the nettle puree.
Note.Grated nutmeg, pounded mace, or lemon-juice may also be added to enrich the flavour.
Potato Nettle Soup
2 cups Nettle Leaves (young shoots)
1 Onion
6 small Potatoes
8 cups Water
1 tsp Vegi-Sal
1 tsp. Parsley
3 cloves Garlic
Puree onion, garlic, and nettles with 1 cup of water. Cut potatoes into small pieces. Simmer pureed mixture with potatoes and remaining water for 45 minutes or until tender. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes making the soup thick and creamy
Home Brewing - Nettle Wine
Thank you to Wayne Riddell for this excellent How-To article. Please visit him at www.waynesworlds.org.uk
Love them or loathe them if you have a garden or an allotment your sure to have these little devils, and the person who makes a product which irradicates them completely forever and ever will make themselves a very rich person. Until then we are stuck with them!
Nutritionally the nettle is a very good source of vitamins but the fact that it has a nasty stinging rash when touched probably leaves a lasting attitude from our child hood.
As we have a fair few patches of nettles around the land I have decided that rather than trying to irradicate them with chemicals, to use them instead in a more productive way.
This month I have used them to make nettle wine, which wont be ready for at least another few months but I will have a sneak taste when racking in about two months. Must admit it doesnt look very nice rather like ale than wine but it is all in the taste!
The quantities in this recipe are the same I use in parsnip and carrot wine making so have a try at all three. Parsnip has to be the favourite but carrot hits the spot just as well.
Ingredients
2 kg of sliced carrots, parsnips, or nettles
1kg of granulated sugar
1 heaped teaspoon of yeast (make sure it is suitable for brewing)
1 small handful of currants
Method
Boil your selected vegetable or nettles in a gallon of water for at least half an hour. Once boiled strain the liquid into a bowl and give the veg to the animals or compost.
Whilst the liquid is still hot add the 1kg of sugar to the liquid and stir until dissolved. Once done leave the liquid to cool.
Whilst waiting for the liquid to cool add a few teaspoons of sugar to hot water and ensure the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar dissolves add cold water to make a lukewarm solution. To this add the heaped teaspoon of yeast and stir until dissolved. Once dissolved leave in a warm place to activate. After half an hour you should notice a layer of froth which indicates the yeast is active.
Ensuring that both solutions are lukewarm at most add them together mix and pour into a demi john. At this point you may find that a lot of water has been evapourated off and leaves the demi john quite empty, I always top up with cooled boiled water, and add the currants at this stage. At this stage the sterilised airlock can be inserted to ensure no nasties get in. Aword of warning though
If you do choose to make nettle wine leave a big gap to the neck as you will find that over the next few hours that the yeast will cause enough CO2 bubbles to push them into the airlock risking allowing the nasties in if not watched, and for a few days you will wonder if you did something wrong as the picture below seems to suggest!
This has only happened to me with nettle wine and it does settle after a few days at which point I just clean the airlock and replace it with fresh water. As a general rule the first racking should occur after fermentation has stopped which is usually 3 months, then another racking after a further 3 months, then rack into bottles through a filter and try to leave for a further 3 months.
Seems like a long time eh! I cant resist after 3 months it definately tastes of wine but is quite sweet just the way I like it the further you leave it the stronger it will get.To give you some idea at 9 months old I will only drink 3 glasses in one go and feel quite merry with it. Well best wishes and if your quick you can have your own wine for christmas!
From: http://www.acountrylife.com/plug.php?p=catalog&action=show_catalogitem&ci_id=89&ci_category=14
Russian Nettle Soup
Nettle is one of the first plants to show up in spring. It contains many valuable nutrients including vitamin C. It is a widespread weed growing practically everywhere people allow it to grow. The best for soups and salads are the youngest upper two or four leaves. Do not make this soup after June as nettles then start to form oxalic acid and can cause tummy ache.
Ingredients:
4 cups nettles rinsed with boiling water and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 T rice (uncooked)
2 eggs
1 sprig parsley, root and greens, chopped
1 stalk celery (with leaves), chopped
8 peppercorns, whole
4 cloves garlic, minced
Enough chicken stock to give the consistency you prefer. 2 pints?
Salt (to taste)
Garnish with Lemon Juice, Fresh Dill, Sour Cream
Carefully pick the tips (top 4 leaves and shoot) of spring shooting nettles, a saucepan full will suffice. Blanch the nettles in boiling water and drain quickly.
Place all the other ingredients except the stock, lemon juice and dill in a large saucepan with the butter and gently fry until slightly transparent. Transfer all to a food mixer and add the nettles. Wiz until reasonably uniform in consistency but not completely pureed.
Put back into the saucepan with the stock and bring gently to the boil.
Serve with a good dollop of sour cream lemon juice and fresh dill
Recipes for Cream of Nettle and Asparagus Soup
If you have a favourite recipe, especially a vegetable based recipe, why not send it to me for the site.
Sent in by: Granny Dumplin
Ingredients
4 baking size potatoes peeled & 1 inch cubed.
1 bunch of the woody ends of asparagus (Perhaps those leftovers from the barbecued asparagus recipe)
1 large Spanish onion roughly chopped.
1 bunch of wild garlic leaves (you can find these growing in wild in our country lanes) or 3 cloves of garlic chopped.
2 pints hot stock (chicken or veg).
1 Cup whipping cream.
½ Carrier bag of nettle tops (well washed & chopped).
1 hand full chopped flat leaf parsley.
½ hand of chopped chives.
¼ tea spoon Chilli seeds (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste.
Method
Place onion, garlic, chilli seeds & potatoes in a thick bottom pan, and just cover with the hot stock.
Bring back to a rolling boil & simmer till potatoes are well cooked.
Roughly mash complete mixture.
Remove from heat.
Stir in nettles & ½ parsley.
Cover pan & allow to cool.
When cool blend well in processor.
Strain mixture back into pan, add cream & gently reduce till soup thickens (or use corn flour).
Add salt & pepper to taste, add rest of chopped parsley & all the chives.
Notes:
Serve piping hot with ripped up chunks of crusty loaf with lashings of real butter. Float a chive flower head in the centre of each bowl (optional)
This dish is the best of a British spring hedgerow in a bowl.
Recipes for Spinach/nettle/sea beet Souffle by: Wali Hawes
Ingredients
2lb cooked spinach
1 tea cup thick white sauce
Seasoning to taste
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Grated Nutmeg
3 eggs
Method
Drain the spinach thoroughly, and rub it through a sieve, season it and add the lemon juice, nutmeg, the white sauce and the well beaten yolks of the eggs.
Stir in lightly, the beaten whites and pour the mixture into a well greased pie dish.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes or until it is well risen and firm to the touch.
Eat hot or cold!
Nettle Frittata
by Mark Gordon of Rose's Café in SF
Yield: 6 portions
½ # Cleaned Nettle Tops
4 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove, Chopped
6 lg Organic Eggs
¼ C Heavy Cream
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Preheat oven to 300º Cook 1/3rd of the nettles in one tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Cook until tender adding a small amount of water if needed. Repeat this 2 more times adding the garlic on the third batch. Place all of the cooked nettles on a cutting board and chop finely. Place the nettles in a bowl of a food processor with the eggs, salt, pepper and process until the nettles are incorporated into the eggs. Add the cream and process for 10 seconds. Heat the non-stick pan on medium with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the nettle mixture and with a rubber spatula move the eggs around to get the entire mixture warm. Place into the oven and cook for about 12 minutes. Let cool for 3 minutes then turn the frittata out onto a plate and cut.
Nettle Tisane
Nettle tea is pleasantly herbacious without tasting like you are steeping a suburban lawn. I find the afternotes' especially pleasant and mellow. Nettle tea is reported to be a great blood and liver tonic. A nice thing about this recipe: you can use the whole leaf and stem, no need to remove the leaves from the stems. I use a little tea strainer when pouring the final tisane into cups.
1 pyrex measuring cup
boiling water
nettles to loosely fill 1/3 to 1/2 of the measuring cup
1. Soak the nettles in cool/cold water for a few minutes.
2. Boil the water
3. Rinse nettles, using tongs or dishwashing gloves to not sting your hands.
4 Place cleaned nettles in measuring cup or teapot or glass bowl, pour water over to fill cup, and steep the tisane' (a tea made with fresh herb) for 5 or so minutes. Enjoy.
Sauteed Nettles with Green Garlic & Olive Oil
Created by: Armando "Tiny" Maes of Rose Pistola
serves 6
1 ¼ # Nettles, Cleaned
3T Green Garlic (Chopped)
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper (To Taste)
First preheat a large sauté pan on medium high heat, (one large enough to accommodate the nettles, you can even use a large pot as well). Second pour ¼ cup of the olive oil into the preheated pan. Then put all of the green garlic into the pan sauté briefly for about 30 seconds, just enough time for the green garlic to release its essential oils, being sure not to brown or burn the green garlic. Place the nettles into the pan and give it a good stir, let sit for just a second and then continue the stirring process. Once the nettles are completely wilted place them on a plate, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and place a couple of lemon wedges for garnish.
Note: The nettles do not have the water content like spinach or other similar greens. So it might help to put a couple Tablespoons of water into the pan after the nettles have started cooking, just to hurry the cooking process. Myself I do not put the water, because I like the texture of the nettles when you sauté them. It is like little crispy nettle leaves and it also brings about a certain nuttiness.
See next post for more recipes.
