It must be cooked or dehydrated before consuming. Some of these uses are now being scientifically tested, with some surprising results. Preserving Nettle Plants. Stinging nettles - Urtica dioica -usually populate uncultivated ground, but often find their way into gardens - particularly around the edge of cultivated areas, or at the base of walls. Check out this recipe for making nettle beer on BBC Wildlife Magazine website. Sign in to manage your newsletter preferences. Youâll probably want to wear kitchen gloves or use tongs to handle. The ice-water bath stops the cooking process and locks in a beautiful green color.Â. Donât try to eat stinging nettle raw! Stinging nettle rash occurs when the skin comes into contact with stinging nettles. If theyâve begun to flower, youâve waited too long. Pick the young leaves from the tips. Get daily tips and expert advice to help you take your cooking skills to the next level. While many green fingered folk see nettles as nothing more than weeds, they can actually provide gardeners with a vital tool to protect their plants. Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add a few pinches of salt. But they can also engulf borders and rough ground in a short space of time, compete with garden plants and pose a risk from their stinging hairs. Nettles are primarily used in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), diabetes, and arthritis. The British nettle carries its stinging barbs on the stem and the underside of the leaf for protection from those animals that might eat or uproot it. and collect the biggest leaves, then wash them in very hot water, neutralising the stinging chemicals and making them safe to eat. Nettles will grow just about anywhere, but they prefer rich soils and benefit from the waste humans produce. With butterflies on the decline generally, the plants provide an important food source for these pretty insects. We compare their nettle processing behavior with that of wild mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Your nettles will be ready to harvest between 80-90 days from seed. However, that is nothing compared to the effects some more exotic nettles have at their disposal. Nettles have tiny, hollow hairs on their leaves and stems that inject powerful, itchy histamines upon contact. When the nettles are cool enough to handle, squeeze to extract as much water as possible, then chop finely. Like spinach, when cooked, nettles reduce to about a quarter of their fresh amount when cooked, so a carrier bag full will yield about 500g/1lb when cooked. Within 10 days you’ll have a thick dark brown liquid – rich in nitrogen and smelling like a heap of manure. Listen to the latest episodes from our country podcast, Nettle guide: where to find, how to pick safely and recipe ideas, Wild garlic guide: where to find, how to cook it and recipe ideas, Monthly foraging guide: what’s in season, where to find it, and how to forage responsibly, Blackberry guide: where to find, how to cook and recipe ideas, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors named International Dark Sky Reserves, Mackenzie Crook on his new Worzel Gummidge for Christmas in the BBC Countryfile Magazine podcast, Foraging for puffball mushrooms in Dorset, September foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas, Recipe: Sea beet with duck eggs and new potatoes. Nettles can be served completely on their own, used in a soufflé, or atop pastas or pizza for a dash of bright green. Harvest the nettles by cutting off only the upper leaves (no larger than about 3â wide). Weigh the nettles down with bricks, and submerge with water (store away from the house, to avoid the smell). They in turn help to pollinate our garden flowers and crops. While the leaves are blanching, fill a large bowl with cold water and ice for an ice-water bath. Let them cook for about a couple of minutes until limp, then transfer to another bowl. Careful not to touch!. Thanks! Here are a few fresh ideas for preparing your spring harvest: Freelance food writer who specializes in Scandinavian cuisine and is the author of "The Everything Nordic Cookbook.". Itâs important to move cautiously and take time to avoid the experience. To make nitrogen-rich nettle feed, cut or crush the nettles into small pieces and cram into a large container. Nettles should never be eaten raw. Stinging nettles die down to tough yellow roots in autumn, over-wintering to grow up again the following spring. You're now subscribed to our newsletter. Whilst they are nasty plants to handle and deal with, they are relatively easy to kill - either by chemical or cultivation methods. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the washed leaves to the pot. Put on your gloves, and begin looking for tender young plants. Swish the stinging nettles around in the water, and change it once or twice. (Taraxacum Officinale). Stinging nettles are great wildlife attractors: caterpillars of the small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies use them as foodplants; ladybirds feast on the aphids that shelter among them; and seed-eating birds enjoy their autumn spoils. The stinging nettle is a plant found practically all over the world. Make sure that your arms and legs are well-covered, including your wrists and ankles. 1. You can consume the leaves fresh, but if you want to preserve the nettle plants to be consumed or used later, there are a few things that you can try. stinging nettles: harvesting, eating, cooking stinging nettles in a nutshell. Make sure that all of the leaves are separated from the stalks. Try 3 issues of BBC Countryfile Magazine for just £5! Commonly considered a weed, nettles are highly nutritious. Cooking Nettles. The sting relies on erect hairs to penetrate the skin and inject the stinging formic acid. This means the stinging properties have not yet formed in the leaf, so consumption safe. It means ‘two houses’ and is a reference to the fact that the male and female flowers are carried on separate plants. ... asking how to handle religious services. Drop the leaves into a sink or bowl of warm water and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Stinging nettles are more than just needled irritants, the Cornish make a delicious cheese using them, the Nepalese make curries and some people even use them for clothing. They will satisfy my hamburger cravings. Slice the leaves off and then wash and rinse well. Slice the leaves off and then wash and rinse well. Native Americans would harvest the young plant in spring, and nettle cordial can be traced back to the Romans. The drying process neutralizes the sting, so itâs safe to handle stinging nettles without gloves once dried. While youâre washing the nettles, get a big pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil. Like comfrey, nettles make perfect liquid plant food. By entering your details, you are agreeing to Countryfile.com terms and conditions & privacy policy. It is possible to pick nettles without hurting yourself, but expect to ⦠Leave for three or four weeks then dilute for direct use (one part concentrate to 10 parts water). They have an earthy, wholesome flavour similar to spinach and other greens. Stinging Nettle Identification, Why Bother? Nettles are packed with nutrients. First thingâs first: Give your stinging nettles a good wash to ensure there are no bugs, dirt or any other possible residue on them. Like comfrey, nettles make perfect liquid plant food. stinging nettles: harvesting, eating, cooking stinging nettles in a nutshell. To handle nettles, don a pair of clean gloves or simply pick them up with a paper towel. Lay the nettles out on a tray to wilt or wash them in hot water. Heat up a big pot of salted, boiling water. HOW TO HARVEST STINGING NETTLE. If youâre pressed for time, you can cut the upper third of the young plants (about 5â from the top) and separate the leaves from the stalks when you get home. Which is why, and we really can't stress this enough, when you pick, prepare and otherwise handle nettles, you must wear gloves . Native Americans used the fresh leaves to treat aches and pains. Fill a bucket with nettles and top with water. When wilted strip the leaves off the tough stems. The water should taste as salty as the seaâit'll impart flavor and help the nettles retain their deep green color. A bag of nettle leaves. Blanching nettles makes them easier to handle and much easier to store. In this way, the presence of large collections of nettles in the wild can sometimes indicate where settlements once existed. Wash leaves as soon after harvest as you can manage. Their high nitrogen content means they can also be used in compost, fuelling the bacteria to help them break down material more effectively and quickly. Harvest nettle leaves before the plant has gone to seed. photo ©Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com. Stinging nettles taste similar to spinach and are very good for you – they have an unusually high protein content for a vegetable and are rich in vitamins A, C, D, iron, potassium and calcium. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. High in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and full of calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium, they are also a good source of protein. How to Harvest Nettles. Young nettles emerging. The leaves of nettle plants can, when used to pack fruit, help to keep it fresh and ripe, stifling and stopping mould from forming. Dried nettles in my dehydrator. Nettles thrive in the same conditions as blackberries and can often be found competing for the same territory. Nettles may not be the first thing you’d plan for dinner, but these prickly plants are surprisingly tasty when cooked, and have a long history as a foodstuff. The best time to harvest nettles is in late March and April. Always cook nettles to destroy the stinging acid. Below is an example of a side dish recipe that originally called for spinach. Stinging Nettles are the devil, I know that now. First, blanch them. Then, use tongs to handle the nettles. Drop the leaves into a sink or bowl of warm water and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Red Admirals and Painted Ladies, Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells and Commas are particularly fond of nettles. Nettles are not suitable for salads! They are a plant that can grow very tall and it kinda looks like a fuzzy version of a dandelion plant. Learn about the benefits, side effects, and research around stinging nettle here. Make sure that all of the leaves are separated from the stalks. To handle nettles, don a pair of clean gloves or simply pick them up with a paper towel. Steam for about 10-15 minutes to turn your nettles from tough, stinging leaves into tender, delicious greens. You may not get fibres quite as fine as if you dew or water ret, but, the fact that you donât have to handle the nettles while they sting, or while they are rotting and smelling, not to mention the use of water and the pollution of the waste water makes producing the fibre in this way worthwhile. Blanch the leaves for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Harvest for eating before they are knee ⦠They lose their sting in the first 30 seconds of cooking. You can unsubscribe at any time. Nettle pesto can be made very simply – all you need to do is substitute cooked nettle leaves for the basil or baby spinach you’d normally use. This washing process by itself will remove much of the sting from the nettles. Then, without touching the nettles, dump them directly from the bag into the pot. Youâll need about a shopping bag full of leaves to make a pot of soup that yields about 10 to 12 cups. If you’re not keen on nettles running wild in your flowerbeds, why not create a ‘wildlife corner’, perhaps behind the shed in your garden or by the compost heap if you have an allotment? Take big bunches of nettles with your tongs and put them in the boiling water. The best time to harvest nettles is the first few weeks of spring when the leaves are young and tender. This is the tender new growth. Put the dried nettles in blender and puree for a few minutes until you get a smooth powder. When looking at a stinging nettle, you can see little hairs on the stem and leaves. Fill a bucket with nettles and top with water. Diluted with water (10 parts water to 1 part nettle juice) it makes a fantastic fertilizer, but be warned, it stinks! Nettles grow in abundance everywhere in the UK, and are easily recognisable. Within 10 days youâll have a thick dark brown liquid â rich in nitrogen and smelling like a heap of manure. Nettles have traditionally been used for medicinal purposes by many cultures. I ⦠Take only the top 3-4 inches (the first two sets of leaves). Apart from the fact that nettles do sting, nettles are a wonderful ingredient to use in soups, pasta dishes, frittatasâbasically in any cooked dish where you would use young spinach. : harvesting, eating, cooking stinging nettles: harvesting, eating, cooking stinging nettle you! Top of the stinging hairs they in turn help to pollinate our garden flowers crops. Of clean gloves or pinch the leaves off and then wash them in the sting from a stinging.! To boil, and pat them dry young plants however, that is to! 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