Nettles: Recipes etc.

[auntierozzi]

I searched for an older nettles thread and couldn't find one.

To follow the nettle discussion on from the roadkill thread....I was so happy to learn that nettles are an excellent source of iron. We get lots growing around our composting boxes, so I am looking forward to finding some more nettle recipes to try out in the spring when the new shoots come through.

Redwellies, you mentioned nettles helping with hayfever. I would be really interested to know what you do with them to for this. One of my little girls had bad hayfever this summer and hopefully this could soothe her. If I did the right thing with them! ;-)

[Risker]

I saw on a TV programme yesterday they ate nettles by wilting them over an open fire to get rid of the sting then just eating them on their own, apparently that was the best way to cook them that they'd ever tried.

[auntierozzi]

That sounds like a good idea as part of a vegan bbq

[harpy]

I'm not RedWellies (surprise surprise) but I've heard of nettle tea being suggested for hay fever sufferers. You can buy nettle tea-bags here - if you would like some and can't find them where you are give me a shout, Auntierozzi. Or I suppose you could just infuse nettle leaves, if you had some handy.

[whalespace]

Hang bunches of nettles over a laundry line or pole in drying conditions.

When dry [and many bugs have departed] lay out a sheet upon which to gather powder. You might want to gather pupae of the ladybug as they hang on near the green flies.

Using gloves [and maybe safety specs] rub the leaves into a powder over the sheet, putting the stalks neatly by for kindling, string, bessom, or other uses.

Use the sheet to direct the nettle powder into a suitable holding vessel.

Use generously in soups, or tea, taking care to avoid contact with skin and eyes because this powder can cause an itch until it is sated.

The acid is formic, like ants. Acid conditions help digestion of proteins, I guess that some people might not make as much stomach acid as they once did.

[auntierozzi]

Thanks Harpy and Whalespace!
Thank you for the offer of sending tea Harpy, not to worry, we will try to produce our own stuff since we do pretty well with nettle growing (seems to be the only thing our slugs don't like).

I'll send a pic of our washing line when we hang out our nettles

[harpy]

Think you could also make the tea with fresh nettle leaves but drying them would obviously give you a year-round supply. Please report back as to whether it helps with the hayfever. My other half is allergic to some particular type of tree pollen but I haven't had much luck persuading him to drink nettle tea (although I drink a lot of it myself - I just like it).

[whalespace]

Nettle tea has a surprisingly pleasant taste. Dip some some fresh stingers in your flask for a minute, you can leave them with the compost if you have got better greens to eat...

[herbwormwood]

The young tops in spring can be used as you would any leafy green. For example in curries soups and stews, use in place of spinach, green cabbage, kale etc. Use rubber gloves to strip the young leaves from the woody stem and chop finely.
They have a strong irony taste. Boiling removes the sting.
I have used them in this way.
I have read that older leaves can be toxic particularly to people with kidney weakness, due to the acid. Also consider the pollution effect of car fumes if you pick them on roadside verges.
There is a recipe for nettle broth on my website in the wild plants section.

[auntierozzi]

Thanks Herbwormwood!
I will check out your site. I'm getting impatient for the nettles to grow again now with all this new nettle knowledge ;-)

[auntierozzi]

Your Dock Pudding recipe looks excellent Herbwormwood, I will definitely try that too. Thanks

[Ginger]

Nettle wine is lovely.

[auntierozzi]

Hello Ginger,
Did you make your own? If not where did you buy it? I would be interested in trying this!
I found some dried nettle in our local shop and like making the tea. I was wondering whether or not anybody knows how much iron you actually get in one average cuppa?

[Smoothie]

i drink one cup of nettle tea daily; this is the only iron "supply" i get, and it seems to work, as i have no problems in that area.


i use nettles in homemade bread, just boil the fresh nettles and then cut them up and add them to the dry ingredients.
also, nettlesoup is really good.
and they can be added to pancakes too, with some dandelion. i love using the nature as a source to healthy foods.

i usually mix some nettle and some raspberry leaves, when i have my period. this is really good, as you get the iron, and raspberry leaves help pains relieve. i drink this as a tea - i can strongly recommend drinking 3-4 cups of this tea, if you lack in iron. this helps a lot.

[Ginger]

No, auntierozzi, I haven't made my own nettle wine. I just drink other peoples! I do however make lovely elderflower wine mmmm....

[Smoothie]

wauw, ginger. that sounds good. how do you do it?

[Ginger]

Elderflower Wine:
Place 1 pint of elderflowers (stalks removed) in a plastic bucket with the juice and rind of 1 lemon and 1 orange. Add 1/2 cup of strong cold tea.
Pour over 6 pints of boiling water, stir well with a plastic spoon. Cover and leave for 4 days.
Strain the liquid into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Put 3lb (yes 3lb!!) of sugar in a bucket and pour in the boiling liquid.
Stir until sugar has disolved.
When it has cooled add a crushed campden tablet (from homebrewing shop)
After 24 hours add yeast and yeast nutrient (instructions on individual packs).
Cover and leave for 6 days, stirring daily.
Transfer to a demi-john with an airlock and leave till fermentation is complete (no more bubbles in airlock).
Syphon into a clean demi-john leaving the sediment at the bottom and leave to clear.
Bottle the wine and if you can bear it, wait for 6 months to mature (or be impatient like me and drink some - save some).
I know it all sounds like a right faff, but you can get everything you need from specialist shops and it's all re-useable
Anyway, thats probably WAY much more info than you were after so I'll shut up now

[auntierozzi]

Here is some info. I found about nettles in 'Consom'Action', a free magazine produced by the French company 'Biocoop':

Nettles are rich in calcium (630mg/100g)
magnésium (71mg/100g)
iron (8mg/100g)
protein (8g/100g)
vit.C (330mg/100g)
provitamin A (7000 UI/100g) and silica.

It doesn't say whether or not the weight is for hydrated or dehydrated nettles.. but it certainly looks like an excellent thing to be consuming!

[twinkle toes]

i read on another website that you can add nettles to smoothies just by putting the leaves in a blender completely raw, and that so long as the leaves are chopped up finely enough you don't run the risk of being stung. can anybody confirm whether this is true or not?

[harpy]

Hi twinkle toes!

I haven't tried raw ones but it seems plausible given that if you pinch them they don't sting you. You could always dip your finger in the smoothie before you taste it to check

Having said that, I think it may be a bit late for this year - the ones round here are flowering and you're not meant to use them after that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinging_nettle (page down to the section on food where it discusses both stopping them from stinging and not eating them after flowering.)