Stinging nettles est dans le jardin

[Priscilla]

There's a lovely crop o' stinging nettles arising unbidden in a newly cultivated section of my garden. Rather than allowing them to flourish, ritualistically repeating the self-fulfilling prophecy wherein I excoriate them with a stream of profane vitriol when my ankle inadvertantly brushes against, I plan to cook them.

Some of the best people do -- our own Jim Dixon talked about 'em in the fiddlehead ferns discussion quite a while ago, long-ago eGulletaire B Edulis spoke of them under the heading Wild Thing, I Think I Love You, Mario Batali makes pasta dough with 'em; Euell Gibbons.

Anthony Bourdain evocatively ate them in soup in an episode of A Cook's Tour filmed in Scotland.

My research is just beginning. I would be interested in other's thoughts.

[guajolote]

Warning: not for the squeamish:

Dan Savage wrote about stinging nettles last week

Edited June 18, 2003 by guajolote (log)

[Stone]

Just had risotto with nettles at Gary Danko, sitting under a medallion of beef. Quite good.

[Priscilla]

Yikers! Perhaps relatedly, my research did turn up some sources advocating the use of the plant's own juice as an antidote, break a leaf and apply. Have not tried.

[dave88]

Ultimate revenge: eating your enemy. I got torched by those evil little things years ago while cavorting in the woods at night shooting roman candles over the Potomac River at this canoe club (such a delinquent). It took hours for the sting to go away only to be followed by some nasty itching. Even the next day I felt them.

[Jim Dixon]

Wear gloves....

The simplest approach is to pick the leaves and boil them for a few minutes (I can't really say how long, but any Eull Gibbons-type food guide should tell you). The boiling neutralizes the chemical sting.

I had some incredible nettle gnocchi at Bastas a couple o fweeks ago. The owner Marco saw one of his cooks wearing gloves and thought he was being wimpy...They don't sting that much back in tuscany, he said...but he grabbed a handful and was still a little tender the next day.

I actually squatted on a stinging nettle when I was fishing on the Rogue at about age 10 (I had dropped my pants and was getting ready to...well, you get the idea). I learned right away how to identify them.

Jim

[Priscilla]

Thank you, Jim. Yes to the gloves ... it'll be just like weeding, only we'll eat the harvest.

So, just the leaves, or stems too? Mario, in the aforementioned nettle pasta dough, cooks just leaves as one does spinach for the same application.

But the nice little stems look good, too.

[Wolfert]

If you keep those gloves on, simply rub the tender raw leaves with coarse salt, rinse the leaves , and you can use them in any recipe.(Salt seems to work as well as blanching.)

About the stems? I've always used just the top 3 or 4 leaves.

Nettles are delicious in Greek phyllo pies instead of the usual spinach, risottos and soups. Also paired with leeks, cream, butter, yogurt, bulgur, pasta dough, and eggs. And they are supposed to be really good for you!

And if that is not enough, I recently read you can curdle milk with the leaves and make a fresh cheese.

Edited June 18, 2003 by Wolfert (log)

[Priscilla]

Very cool and exciting! Thank you, um, Wolfert.

Hope I've got enough in my accidental plot for lots of dishes. Using just the uppermost leaves, and anticipating stunning collapse during cooking, I'll have to harvest a LOT.

They seem to suggest themselves into some of my favorite things.

[Sandra Levine]

Usually, where you find stinging nettles growing, you will find an antidote, jewelweed, that also works to relieve the itching of poison oak and poison ivy.

[KNorthrup]

Sont?

I have a simple (PM-able) recipe that involves stewing them with lamb bones and topping with yogurt-garlic sauce. Oddly (?) related to the pie idea.

[thelastsupper]

Yes, I just collect the tops, 3-4 leaves. The lower leaves are pretty stringy. I find it easier to steam rather than boil them, just until they wilt and turn a vibrant green. Make soup!! It will make you cry.

[Priscilla]

Very cool. The top so-many leaves, just like picking tea, as I read.

I can do that. Thank you!

[russ parsons]

they are a very trendy restaurant ingredient down here as well. so much so that farmers market farmers are going into the hills around their fields to forage them and bring them home. one recipe actually called for "double-gloving" before cleaning.

[polly]

I use all the leaves, blanch till bright green, and then puree them with a little olive oil.

Keep the puree in a jar in the fridge and then you can use it in soup, risotto (delicious), pasta etc.

It's got such a lovely flavour..

[polly]

woops.double post.

Edited June 23, 2003 by polly (log)

[russ parsons]

so nice, she said it twice!

[Dave the Cook]

...incredible nettle gnocchi...

This also bears repeating. Say it five times fast.

[Priscilla]

Yes yes euphonious indeed.