I've been chasing Stinging Nettles for the past 15 yrs however haven't located any growing here in Richmond, Virginia. When I visited England a while back I was astounded about how readily Nettles grew there (like everywhere). I have been however collecting Nettle Recipes. Have not made these but here are a few:
MAKING VEGETABLE RENNET OUT OF NETTLES:
https://homesteading.com/vegetable-rennet-cheesemaking/
HOMEMADE TORTILLAS WITH NETTLES (Makes 14 Small Tortillas)
Tortilla Press
Parchment Paper circles cut to size of Tortilla Press
Cast Iron Skillet (or Non-Stick Skillet)
Clean Dish Towel to cover warm Tortillas
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2 Cups Masa Harina
2 Tablespoons Dried Nettle Leaf (crumbled to powder)
1 Teaspoon fine Sea Salt (if your Masa Harina is salted might leave out)
1-1/2 to 2 Cups Warm Water
Combine Masa Harina, Salt (if using) & Dried Nettle Powder
Add 1-1/2 Cups Warm Water to the dried ingredients & combine ~ you want a moist mix but you don't want sticky finger level ~ If too moist (sticky) add additional Masa Harina & if too dry add additional water
Prewarm the Skillet to the 'hot' stage on stove
Roll the Masa Harina in to rounds just smaller than golf ball size rounds
Place 1 of the Parchment Circles on your Tortilla Press.
Place 1 ball Masa on to the Tortilla Press (on the Parchment Paper) then place the second piece of round Parchment on top
Press the dough down firmly in the Tortilla Press sound it is thin and uniformly pressed on both sides (may need to flip the Tortilla to opposite side & press down again)
Carefully remove the 'Tortilla' from the Press, remove the Parchment Paper, place it in the hot skillet & cook 20 - 30 seconds on each side.
Taste the first Tortilla and if you want to add additional salt to the remaining batter (or add additional water if tastes too dry) then do it now
Repeat the process with the remaining Masa balls.
Place the cooked Tortillas in the Dish Towel to keep them warm.
(Recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs)
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NETTLE SOUP WITH ASPARAGUS (Makes about 3 Quarts Soup) - Vegan
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
7 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bunch of asparagus (approximately 300 grams), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (13.5 ounce) can of coconut milk
5 cups broth (bone broth, vegetable broth or even water)
150 grams of young fresh nettle leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
more salt and pepper to taste
dash of cream (optional)
Optional topping handful of mushrooms (morels, shiitakes, chanterelles, buttons, etc.), minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, minced
In a large saucepan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add two more tablespoons of olive oil, wait a few moments for it to warm up. Add the garlic, curry powder, cumin powder, black pepper and salt. Sauté for one minute or until aromatic. Add the asparagus and cook for 3-5 minutes or until it becomes bright green in color. Add the coconut milk and broth (or water) and bring to a boil. Add the fresh nettle leaves. Stir well. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the asparagus is fairly soft.
Optional mushroom topping: While the soup is cooking you can make an optional mushroom topping. Heat the butter in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the minced mushrooms and cook until thoroughly done and tender. Set aside. Once the asparagus is soft, turn off the heat on the soup. Add the lemon juice. Using an immersion blender (or an upright blender) blend on high until thoroughly creamed. (If using an upright blender be sure to allow steam to escape while blending to avoid a big hot mess.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve asparagus and nettle soup in bowls with a dash of cream (optional) and a couple spoonfuls of mushrooms (optional).
Recipe © 2018 LearningHerbs.
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WILD GREENS PESTO
2 cups of greens (I had a mix of stinging nettles **, bittercress, wooly lamb’s ear, baby spinach, kale, chickweed, and carrot greens)
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano (I used a lovely Cuban Oregano, which isn’t exactly Oregano. Nor is it from Cuba.)
3 fat cloves of garlic
1/8 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/8 cup roasted sunflower seeds
Splash of lemon juice (or 1 tbsp minced fermented lemon)
Hard cheese such as parmesan to taste
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
** If you are using nettles in your wild pesto, don’t forget to blanch them for a minute or two before proceeding with the recipe to remove the sting!
Rough chop the greens and oregano & add to food processor (or mortar and pestle).
Toss in the garlic cloves and seeds/nuts and blend.
Add a splash of lemon juice or fermented lemon rind to brighten up the color and flavor alike.
Add olive oil one tablespoon or so at a time until you have your preferred texture. Want a sauce? Add more. Want a paste? Add less!
Flavor to taste with salt, pepper, and the hard cheese.
I prefer to wait a day or so to use my pesto so the flavors can meld. You can also freeze any excess for use later on in the year!
Recipe by Amber Shehan
Stacye in Richmond, Virginia
