The Light and Dark Side of Nettles

Nettles are the darling of spring restaurant menus -- with good reason.  They are loaded with vitamins and protein.  They're also free and delicious.  There is a plethora of information on uses for nettles.

At Bainbridge Vineyards, Betsey Wittick gathers nettles and horsetail to make a fermented tea, which is sprayed on young grape foliage to mitigate fungal disease.  No chemicals needed.

Looking for a way to incorporate nettles into other aspects of your life?  Consider this:

Gabrielino men stung themselves all over with nettles before leaving on hunting trips. This was done to make them watchful, vigilant and clear sighted.  Heizer, Indians of Los Angeles County 32, 36.

Seattle’s Dan Savage offers:

The leaves and stems of stinging nettles are covered with tiny hollow hairs. When a person comes in contact with the plant, the tips of the hairs break off, stick in the person's skin, and then, like a lot of little hypodermic needles, pump in a venom that makes the skin itch, swell, tingle, and burn for hours. The Romans thrashed men "below the navel," according to Rodale's Encyclopedia of Herbs, to improve virility. And while occasional contact with stinging nettles--even below the navel--won't do you any lasting harm, "massive or repeated contact" with stinging nettles isn't advisable. So like all good vices--booze, boys, bacon--stinging nettles should be enjoyed in moderation. http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=14566

Thanks, Dan.

I have thoughts on less painful ways to use nettles.

First, tips on gathering and prep.  The trail to Gazzam Lake off Deerpath on Bainbridge Island has nettles galore right now.  Below, patient husband gathers nettles while I fuss with camera.

Wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and gloves.  Choose small, young nettles.  Use garden clippers to snip the top few rows of leaves.  Drop nettle tops into a paper grocery bag.  Back home, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Have a colander ready.  Using long BBQ tongs, remove nettles from bag in bunches. Give them a hard shake over the sink to remove stowaway insects or debris, then plunge nettles into boiling water.  After 30 seconds the sting is gone and nettles are ready to eat.  Drain blanched nettles in colander.  The cooking liquid can be strained and drunk as tea. I don’t care for the taste, but Phil thinks it would go great with gin.  He's always thinking.

You can freeze blanched nettles in their cooking liquid in Ziploc bags. 

A simple and versatile way to use blanched nettles is to make pesto.  Here’s a basic recipe, and also a cool blog:  http://fat-of-the-land.blogspot.com/2009/03/stinging-nettle-pesto.html  If you have a basil pesto recipe you like, just swap in nettles.  I substitute hazelnuts for pine nuts, to stay with the local theme.  Walnuts or pecans work, too.  You can also add fresh sorrel for a lemon kick.  It’s in season the same time as nettles.

Nettle Hazelnut Pesto

Use your finished pesto on pasta or polenta, for crostini or cruditės. Toss warm roasted baby potatoes in it. Substitute nettle pesto for tomato sauce on a pizza.  Put a tablespoon or two in scrambled eggs.  (Yes, green eggs and ham!) 

If you have a piece of fresh fish, spread with nettle pesto, top with thinly sliced leeks or spring onion, lemon slices, and a splash of white wine, dry vermouth, or Lillet Blanc.  Grill fish or wrap in parchment and bake.

Grilled Salmon and Leeks on Nettle Pesto

Blanched and drained nettles can be subbed in nearly any recipe calling for spinach, such as risotto, dips, calzone, omelets, spanakopita, quiche, and smoothies. 

With nettles, there’s something for every predilection.