Harvest some stinging nettle --delicious green

I made a cream soup with Stinging nettles today. it turned out really well.
I recomend Nettles, They taste Like a cross between Asparagus, spinach and celery. when you blanche the nettles they leave an amazing color green water!

I wonder if anyone has made any really good dishes with Nettles...Please do share.

Nettles often go in soup here (and we make a big pot at least once a week..) I just used the first fresh nettles of the season yesterday - when they get bigger, I usually harvest a bunch to blanch and freeze in 1-cup containers. The frozen nettles get used for soup or a lazagna layer. If I'm eating them garlic sautee, fresh boiled is best - yumm!!

two words......nettle pesto

They make an excellent risotto as well, as well as a great tea.

Now is the time to harvest them, when they're knee-high or lower.

The leaves can be dried for future use as tea.

Mine is only 5-6" tall so far, but I have a lot of plants so hopefully I will have lots to eat/drink!

My family grew up with this soup. You can substitute the nettles for the spinach when the nettles are in season. (We have nettles here now! This is the perfect time of year to find young nettles and watercress starting.)

http://www.food.com/recipe/spinatsuppe-norwegian-spinach-soup-137035