Nettles are the forager’s best friend. Easy to find (too easy, as we all know — they’re everywhere you don’t want them to be!), packed full of nutrients, delicious and versatile, they only have one drawback. Yes, you know what I’m talking about.
How to pick them safely?
Fortunately, the wild part of my garden — which represents a good 50% of it, if we’re being honest — is full of them, so I can easily pick them using my gardening gloves, some scissors, and a bucket. Since I am spoilt for choice, I gather only the tender new leaves at the top (the first four or six, usually) and give them a thorough wash. Every time I cook them, I feel like one of my heroines from The Noble Norsemen, making the most of what nature has to offer.
The uses for them are almost infinite: sauté them like spinach and add to all manner of omelettes, stews, and quiches; purée them in soups with potatoes; replace basil with them in pesto; or, my favourite, mix them with ricotta, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon zest to stuff homemade ravioli. It is more time‑consuming but delicious.
So next time you want to feel like a medieval peasant (who doesn’t?) give those prickly gems a try!