Eating Nettles

After a big Nettle harvest it is time for a Feast!
But there is a lot of work ahead, or think of it is a 'working meditation', as you get into the zone feel the presence of the nettle in your home. You are about to eat what I call the super food of the West Coast Rainforest.
I can't get to all the bags at once, so I leave them out on the patio in a cool dry area until I can get to them.

Starting with one bag I put my gloves on and have my shears ready.
Be sure to have;
Baskets ~ large leaves dry for winter's tea
Large Stock Pot ~ Heat to boil stocks and secondary leaves (uses include: plant water, bathing, hair wash, soup stock, mulch)
Colander ~ Spring tops, for eating and freezing

Handle the nettles with a thick glove. Clip the spring tops into the colander, trim any large or healthy leaf into the basket and drop the stock into the pot. Every bit of this plant is used. Once you have a full colander of spring tops this is when you can branch off to a number of uses.
Nettle Vinegar --- Nettle Tincture--- Blanched to Eat or Freeze--- Nettle Oil & Salves

To Blanche and eat or freeze

Fill a large wide mouth pot 1/3 with water
Bring to a boil
With tongs, add a large cluster of tops to the water
Have waiting another colander or sieve, after 30 seconds to 1 minute the sting is removed and the tops are ready to eat.
Place in colander and continue batches if you are freezing

To freeze

Let tops drain, squeeze gently to disperse some of the liquid
Roll out saran wrap
Place an amount of tops to use in one serving, about a sushi roll size
Wrap and place into a large ziplock
Continue until ziplock is full. Label and date and toss into the freezer

Winter time, pull out a roll of nettle tops to add to casseroles, soups, stir fry's, dips, etc....


Blanche as needed for fresh eating. Store fresh nettles in a sealed container. Recipe Below


To Dry

Allow the leaves space to aerate in the baskets. Avoid direct sunlight or heat
Be patient with the drying time this can take 7 to 14 days
Shake the leaves every day and you will know they are ready when you can crush the leaf into fragments
For consistency and quality run the leaves through a spice grinder or food processor
Store in a glass jar with a rubber seal
Tea time


The tinctures, vinegars, oil and salve can be done at this time with the spring tops as well. The recipes and instructions are on many web sites. I suggest Susun Weed, but there are plenty respectable herbalists.



Pot of Stocks

Bring this pot up to a gentle boil
Simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is a deep green
Drink
Fill jars for future use
Let cool and feed to your house plants, garden plants ~ you will see them come alive and grow in surprise
Use jarred liquid to add to your bath, rinse your hair (not if you dye your roots)
Make soup
Use cooked stocks as mulch for planters or garden


Nettle Pesto

One large bunch of spring top nettles, blanched and drained
2 large garlic cloves
1/4C pine nuts, toasted and cooled
1/4C grated parmegano
1/2 lemon fresh squeezed
few sprigs of basil
big pinch of Real Salt sea salt
cracked pepper
3 Tbs olive oil or to desired consistency



In a large pestle and mortar toss in garlic and pine nuts
Start grinding to a thick paste, adding salt and pepper, nettles and basil and parmegano
Squeeze in lemon and blend well
Add oil, drizzle a little at a time until desired consistency is reached
Transfer to a glass container and use as needed
Or freeze in ice cube trays for a day. Pop out of tray, place in a ziplock, label and date, use when needed

Use fresh on pizza, crackers, quiche, frittatas, toasted melts.



Now I am hungry, time to eat