2007-06-09 07:39:53 · 17 answers · asked by BooksToBrowse 4 in Food & Drink ➔ Cooking & Recipes
You need to harvest only the youngest greenest leaves, generally the smaller ones from close to the top of the nettle, dont eat the stalk it's very woody.
First step is to cold rinse them under running water to wash of bugs and other nasties, then you can boil them for a few minutes and use like a spinach leaf.
They are great in pasta or indian dishes as a replacment for spinach, or in salads they are huge in vitamins and great for expectant or nursing mothers because they are high it folic acid.
Or try this, a take on a classic Greek dish,
1 Pack of frozen filo pastry
Melted butter
about a pund of nettles, cleaned, boiled and well drained
a block of feta cheese
1 egg
Salt, pepper & nutmeg
Line a shallow tin with the filo pastry brushing melted butter on each layer. Chop the (cold) drained cooked nettles and mix with crumbled feta cheese, add a good grate of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste, mix in the egg and place in the pastry. Fold the remaining pastry over making sure you use melted butter between the layers then give it a final glaze with butter. Bake at 180c for about 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and flakey. Great hot or cold. ENJOY
2007-06-09 10:39:58 · answer #1 · answered by rick_wenham 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
We Latvians make nettle soup frequently (or we do in our family which makes us eminently qualified to answer this question!)
Wearing rubber gloves you need to pick fresh young nettle shoots - do not be greedy and use the bigger, older leaves. These make for a bitter flavour. Also make sure they are above the height of a great dane dog - for obvious reasons!
Rinse them through a colander and then pour a kettle or two of boiling water over them to scald them.
When sweating them off after the onion and garlic add a little lemon juice in order to keep the green colour, otherwise, like some other green vegetables they will turn a horrible black or grey colour. Cover with stock and simmer and then add salt and pepper.
Add some sorrell at the same time as the nettles - either fresh and prepared in the same way if you know what you are looking for, or you can now buy small jars of sorrell prepared in stores where Polish food is sold. (Pronounced shtsheee)
Whizz in blender and then add pinhead oatmeal and simmer until soft.
Adjust seasoning and then serve with bread and a good dollop of soured cream.
Sorry, you did not ask for a recipe did you? Ah well, two for the price of one. Try it, it is lovely.
Hope this answers your question.
2007-06-10 22:46:48 · answer #2 · answered by zakiit 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wearing a pair of gloves, plunge them into boiling waterand blanch. Now devoid of the stinging hairs you can lightly fry them in a small amount of bacon fat or sit the Sunday joint on a bed of nettlers and cook them slowly until they are cooked but retain a little crunch. Enjoy.
Tip, leave out the old and mature nettles and be content with a good armful of a young and tender crop.
2007-06-09 11:03:10 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
nettle soup is a classic Swedish soup served during the summer. It is a bland soup made by cooking the nettle leaves in water and then adding a little chicken stock. The soup should be thick, kind of like a salsa. One can garnish it with whipped cream, egg yolk.. Summer classic.
2007-06-17 00:06:30 · answer #4 · answered by born2roast 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will need young shoots, the old leaves are no good. Wash the leaves using gloves ----so you don't get stung. Boiling neutralises the acid that causes the sting. Cook as you would spinach. That is , place in boiling salted water and boil for about 4 minutes. Drain well and toss in butter.
2007-06-10 10:43:09 · answer #5 · answered by nemesis 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
use only the top newest leaves and wash and rinse thoroughly. you can blanche or steam them but i have a great recipe for nettle beer . its the best. good luck
2007-06-09 07:59:17 · answer #6 · answered by daddyshambles 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
For eating?
Wear rubber gloves! Pick only the newest, top leaves (not from the roadside or where dogs might wee on them)! Steam them, squeeze out the liquid and chop...serve with butter and pepper - yum!
2007-06-09 07:45:00 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Prepare them buy putting something in them and calm the patient down
2007-06-17 05:27:16 · answer #8 · answered by keilyjoseph 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With great care! Sorry luv couldn't resist.x
2007-06-16 00:31:07 · answer #9 · answered by Christine L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never eaten them but know you can.They are very good for you.Phoenix had a good answer to your question
2007-06-09 08:18:03 · answer #10 · answered by Rosebud 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋