The big sting

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Posted at 11:51AM, 15 April 2009 by Toby Travis - Food blogger

Will you celebrate Be Nice to Nettles week this year? I'm guessing not. This curious event aimed to raise the status of the nettle from 'troublesome weed' to recession-busting source of free medicine, food and clothing. No doubt this is a noble and worthwhile cause, although I can't help feeling it's going to be an uphill task to reintroduce this hedgerow hooligan to polite society. Perhaps nettles need to start showing a bit of nice if they want nice in return.

Yet many wild-food fans and enthusiast foragers will embrace the return of the nettle this spring. The emergence of the first young shoots over the past few weeks marks the beginning of another season of scavenging happily for edible roots, leaves, berries and 'shrooms. Nettles, like brambles, are particularly valuable for the urban forager, thriving as they do among the contaminated, bottle-strewn verges of city paths and roads.

I can't help feeling it's going to be an uphill task to reintroduce this hedgerow hooligan to polite society.

At the weekend I noticed a burly man crouching in the undergrowth on the side of the disused railway line near where I live. Normally, this would make me walk faster and assume a fixed stare straight ahead. As I got closer however it became clear he was picking nettle tops with his bare hands, displaying a physical stoicism and culinary spirit of adventure which were both equally impressive. I returned later with full protective clothing, yellow marigolds and a pair of long-handled scissors to harvest a bag of the hairy leaves, avoiding those near stumps or posts where dogs were most likely to have paid their respects.

The obvious thing to make with my haul was nettle soup . Most recipes suggested more or less the same method: sautéing onions and potato in butter until soft, adding a generous pile of washed nettle leaves along with boiling stock or water, simmering until the tatties are soft and pureeing along with cream and seasoning. Perhaps also a scraping of nutmeg. You end up with a viridescent soup that tastes like the colour green - earthy, slightly tangy, outrageously healthy. A bit like a gutsy, uncouth potato and watercress soup. A final swirl of cream and scattering of chives transforms it into a frugal gourmet masterpiece.

Writing in 1699, the scholar and gardener John Evelyn thought that young tops of nettles were eaten only by the 'frugal Italians and French', for whom 'every Hedge affords a Salad.' Evelyn felt the English should follow their example, not only for health reasons but also because he believed that eating salads made men's conversations 'pleasant and agreeable', in contrast to the rowdy banter of the average beef-munching Brit. In his view, nettles and other green stuff were a civilising influence, they helped make us rational and polite. Perhaps Be Nice to Nettles week should rebrand itself Be Nice, Eat Nettles.

Comments

James

15 April 2009, 2:23PM
James

I'm definitely a nettle fan - sauteed nettles are great because you get the caramelisation flavour. Planning to make nettle bread Sunday or Monday. Nettle puree is another thing - same way as making spinach puree - steam the nettles, then blend with a little cream & seasoning. Pure comfort food - nice with fish & chicken. http://www.thecotswoldfoodyear.com/search/label/nettles

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Jo_Cooks

15 April 2009, 3:37PM
Jo_Cooks

I like the sound of eating nettles, but is there a way to pick them without getting stung? And will cooking them take the sting away? Or is there a particular non-stinging variety that we should be looking for?

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Nicola

16 April 2009, 8:16AM
Nicola

I've been planning on going foraging for a while now...I was thinking perhaps I could make a nettle and wild garlic soup, as that is also coming out now! Not sure if it would work though - I have never cooked with nettles or wild garlic before, but at least I wont have wasted any money if it goes wrong!

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Stuart Ovend

17 April 2009, 5:20PM
Stuart Ovend

'Be Nice to Nettles week' - does Bergerac/DCI Barnaby get unusually affectionate fan mail for 7 days each year?

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TobyT

20 April 2009, 4:40PM
TobyT

Jo_Cooks, I find the easiest way to pick nettles is to use scissors - snipping off the small, tender nettle 'tops' and gently using the blades to transfer these to a plastic bag. Then at home, wash the tops and cut the leaves from the stalk using scissors (and washing-up gloves). Cooking is essential to remove the sting - I can imagine eating them raw would redefine the concept of a sharp, peppery salad. James, I love the idea of a creamy nettle puree with fish'n'chips - going to give that one a go for sure.

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uk chefs forum

21 April 2009, 6:24PM
uk chefs forum

I have become the bigges nettle fan in the last week after a session of medicinal chi gong and chinese medicine - they are so good for the liver so have been out picking my own and drying to make tea. Look forward to trying lots of recipes with them.

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Jo_Cooks

22 April 2009, 12:49PM
Jo_Cooks

Thanks Toby. I noticed lots of nettles on my local common this weekend, so will have to go back armed with rubber gloves and scissors. Hope the soup is worth the strange looks I will probably get!

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Belinda

22 April 2009, 8:56PM
Belinda

Funny, how some items are being rediscovered - here they were never really "out" and are a regular feature in our house; quiche,soup and in mash.

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www.Foodswild.com

28 April 2009, 7:27PM
www.Foodswild.com

I love the idea of being nice to nettles! i sell it to my children as getting revenge for stinging them!! haha were going to eat you ::)) we have a wild food business down in cornwall and produce Cornish stingers - nettle beer- although we describe it as cider as its more similar. when weve done events we get alot of comments saying it tastes like elderflower ! A favourite from the feasts we host is nettle ravioli- put some in the pasta itself and put nettles, wild mustard leaf and marscapone in the centre. delicious ! Alice www.foodswild.com

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