A Sting Operation - Harvesting Nettles

I was extremely excited this morning... I was outside, wandering and drinking my coffee enjoying the brisk morning air, when I noticed, near the boundary of the forest, that the Stinging Nettles were starting to spring forth from the humus.

I have been missing nettles for a LONG time. I even attempted to grow them in a large pot while in San Diego. Needless to say, no matter how much shade you give them, they just won't grow in captivity. So I have been without any nettles, aside from the occasional dried herbal tea, for 13 years. The Humanity!

It's kind of amusing, when I was a kid, gallivanting haphazardly through the forest, they were my bane. For I would invariably end up falling into a patch of them and get stung all over... Those things can sting through denim, by the way. Then I got older and wiser and realized that I could eat them if I took a few precautions... So this is my retribution for many childhood springs of pain. Oh, yeah... Your MINE, you little punk! LOL

Leather gloves are a must, and a large stainless bowl helps...

Your gonna need them in the kitchen too, the gloves I mean... You need to blanch them to remove the sting. The ability of the nettle to sting is actually quite an amazing adaptation of the plant. The plant is covered with little tiny glass like "stingers", though the technical term is Trichome. When brushed, they act as little needles and inject a mixture of chemicals causing skin irritation or a "sting" that can last a few hours to days. Some people have a higher response level than others, and will break out in little white blisters, others only redden slightly and feel a tingling.

Regardless of the inherent danger in harvesting nettles, they are a quite delicious and fantastic wild culinary treat. The plant is 40% protein, which is extremely high for a green vegetable. They also contain large amounts of vitamins A, C, D as well as healthy doses of Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium. Basically, and at the risk of copyright infringement; They's good eats.

So come along and let's go harvesting... We'll blanch a few too, cause I have a perfect recipe in mind that I would like to prepare; straight to you from the Trentino-Alto region of Italy... Well kind of...

Grab some gloves and a bowl and let's go...

I like to practice sustained harvesting techniques, so I only pick the top section...

leaving the rest of the plant to continue growing...

This acts like "pinching back" does on houseplants and the Basil in your garden. The remaining nettle plant will branch out and have 2 flowering heads later in the season. (if I don't come back and pinch it again)

Once you fill your bowl, it's time to head back to the kitchen.

Believe it or not, that was only 9.7 oz of nettles...

Good thing I only need 5 oz right now. (the rest are in the refrigerator, covered)

Start heating some water to a boil and, using the gloves, move the nettles to a salad spinner and rinse in PLENTY of cold water.

Spin them dry...
When the water is boiling, place the glove back on and move the nettles into the pot... Then you can put your gloves away...

After 1 minute, remove the pot and drain them in a colander, while running cold water over them to stop the cooking.

LOOK MA, HANDS!!! They are inert now and can be handled with no adverse effects whatsoever...

Squeeze all the water out of them, just like spinach...

You can cook them a little longer (about 5 minutes) and just eat them like spinach, but I am chopping them very fine... And place in the refrigerator, covered, until tomorrow...

Ta Da! Nettles.....

Mangia!!
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