Hedgerow To Kitchen
| Home | About Us | Join Us | News & Events | Education | Members Area |Contact
Nettle, a herb for everyone
By Sarah Head |
 Nettle Leaves |
 Nettle Flowers |
Whatever our age, nettle may be the first plant we truly notice, probably because she stings! Nettle is not a vicious plant, she merely reminds us to pay attention. In Spring nettle is one of the first green plants to grow in abundance during the “barren months” from Jan/Feb to April. Nettle is always the herb which provides my first cup of fresh herb tea.
Nettle (Urtica dioica) is one of the most useful plants we have in the UK. Treated as a vegetable, it can be blanched and eaten like spinach or cooked in soups, stews, pesto or gnocchi. The leaves can be dried for winter use and the seeds can be utilised as a crunchy topping or mixed with yoghurt.
Nettle is best gathered before the flowers appear if you want to use them for infusions, drying or cooking. Pick young nettle tops and use either fresh or dried. Once the plant flowers, leave them until the seeds ripen to a dark green before picking.Bunches of nettle seeds can be snipped off carefully and covered with alcohol if you want to make a fresh tincture or the whole stem can be cut and laid between sheets of newspaper in a warm place until everything is dry. Gather the dried seeds into a bowl and push through a metal sieve to remove any debris. Store seeds in a dry, glass jar with a screw top in a cool dark place and use when necessary for several months. It is very difficult to obtain nettle seed commercially, so it is best to harvest your own.
 Nettles in the wild |
Nettle Tea, Maceration & Vinegar To make nettle tea pick a good handful of nettle tops wearing gloves. Place the tops in a teapot or caffettiere and pour over just boiled water. Steep for ten minutes, strain and drink. The tea is a beautiful green colour. If the weather turns warm, a refreshing drink can be made from a nettle maceration. Pick enough nettles to fill a clean plastic washing up bowl. Cover the nettles with cold water. Leave overnight in a cool place. Strain and drink. The liquid will be pink/brown and is filled with minerals. |
If you are in a hot climate, you can use the sun to heat your vinegar. Place the vinegar jar in a sunny window or in a greenhouse where the sun can warm it over a period of time. You don't need to worry about botulism poisoning when you make herbal vinegars because the toxin cannot live in the acid environment. You can strain the vinegar after 3-6 weeks and use it, or leave it as long as you want. If you live where the weather is not reliable, it is probably best to infuse your vinegar in a cupboard which is regularly heated either by water pipes, a hot water tank or some kind of radiator. The heat does not have to be strong or continuous, but the vinegar does need to be warmed on a regular basis. I have a cupboard where the hot water pipes from my central heating system warm the air even during the summer time when all the heating is off. This is where all my vinegars are macerated.
You can take your nettle cider vinegar in a little water first thing in the morning, or add 2 tsp to tsp of honey in a mug of boiling water for a soothing drink which will also help a sore throat. You can also use it as part of a salad dressing or sprinkle it over salmon or tuna in a sandwich filling.
To enjoy the bright green vibrancy of nettles, there are some exciting recipes to make.
| Nettle Pesto 1 large garlic mustard plant (about 2 large handful of leaves, discard the thickest stems –optional, but it’s a nice addition.) 2 large handfuls of nettle tops (use gloves) 2oz almond pieces or pine nuts 4oz grated parmesan 4 fl oz extra virgin olive oil Method - Blanch the nettles and garlic mustard leaves in boiling water then strain into a colander and run cold water over it. Place the blanched nettles and garlic mustard in a liquidiser with the grated parmesan and sliced almonds or pine nuts. Add enough olive oil to enable the liquidiser to work. When everything is a paste, drizzle in the rest of the olive oil and spoon into clean glass jars and store in the fridge. Use the pesto as a topping for spaghetti bolognaise or as a cheese spread on home baked granary bread. |
 |
 |
Nettle Yoghurt Dip 2 handfuls of nettle tops 2 heaped tbsps natural yoghurt 1 tbsps chopped fresh chives 6 sprigs mint Juice of half a lemon Salt and freshly ground pepper Method - Cook the nettle tops until soft (about 15 minutes). Strain and liquidise the nettles with some or all of the yoghurt. Chop up the chives with a pair of scissors and the mint in a coffee grinder. Mix everything together and use as a dipping sauce for bread or vegetables. This dip can also be used in place of mayonnaise to make a delightful potato salad. |
Nettle & Parsley Soup Large basketful of young nettle tops 2 large handfuls of parsley 2 potatoes 3 carrots 1 onion Salt and pepper to taste. Method - Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Peel, dice and sweat the onion in the oil for 5 minutes until soft. Finely chop or whizz the parsley in a coffee grinder. Peel the potatoes and chop into 4 pieces, scrape and chop the carrots. Add vegetables and nettles to the onion and sauté for few minutes. Add the parsley and cover everything with boiling water (about a kettle full). |
 |
If you don’t want to cook with nettles, let them grow into tall plants and use them for dyeing or for making chordage - both can be done in the kitchen or outside, but the instructions will have to wait for another article. Otherwise, they can become a haven for butterflies and other insects.
With so many uses – food, medicine, dye, clothing and rope, the ubiquitous nettle can truly be called a herb for everyone.
References
Nettle - A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve
Nettle Chordage: Improving Technique
Nettle Yogurt Dip Recipe - by Loba
Sarah Head is a member of The Herb Society and a regular contributor to our forum and website. She offers training on coping with bereavement to professionals all over the country. And also runs herb workshops and grows over 100 herbs in two gardens in Solihull and the Cotswolds.
Return to the Herbs In The Kitchen Page
To make comments on this article, go to our Forum.
| Home | About Us | Join Us | News & Events | Education | Members Area |Contact