Nettles!

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the big nettle forage I went on. It was my first time getting nettles, though not my first time eating them. The season may be wrapping up for them soon, but I thought I'd post about it in case there are still some out there to go after. I read somewhere that you want to harvest them before they are knee high - so keep that in mind!

Nettles have more protein than any other plant, and lots and lots of iron, vitamins A and C, potassium and other good for you vitamins. My Charming Companion's friend ate them daily throughout her pregnancy, and the doctor actually told her her iron was a little too high! High?!

The trick to eating nettles is to harvest them while wearing gloves (and pants) and using a scissors. Cooking them for 30 seconds removes the sting from the nettle - so one just needs to get them cooked. My Charming Companion and I harvested a couple of buckets full to freeze. Be sure to use tongs to handle these babies until they are cooked.

Nettles basically look how they sound. They don't look particularly edible because they look like they will sting! The edges are ridged and they grow tall, and there is a little furry-ness to the stems.






Cut the top part off the nettles, stem and all. (Some people say you can't use the stem, but I did and didn't even notice!) The new growth is the upper part, so cut just below the 2nd or 3rd tier of leaves, and again, don't use nettles that are over knee high.




To wash the nettles, we set up a two bucket sort of system. Fill a bucket with water and dump all the nettles in. Use the tongs to swish the nettles around and remove layers from the top. Put them into a 2nd bucket or large pot (this was a big canning pot).



To cook: Bring your largest pot, filled about 3-5" high with water, to a boil. When it is boiling, fill it with as many nettles as you can fit. Cover and steam/boil for 5 minutes or so. You may need to swish things around/push the nettles down.

Drain the nettles (keep the water to drink for nettle tea!) and press/squeeze out the water as best you can. (You can touch them now, they will just be hot!) We spread the nettles on two big trays and set them outside to cool off.

Once they are cool, do one more squeeze and you can store the nettles in the fridge for about a week, or put in bags and freeze.







They are partially cooked now, so you can use them to make all kinds of things: soup, pesto, saute them with onions, etc. The nettles have a chewiness that is more noticeable than any other green. They were delicious in this fritata with a little red pepper and some green onions.