Nourish Recipes: Nettle
Stinging nettles, once blanched and squeezed dry, can be used in place of spinach in recipes in which the spinach is cooked. Also! When you’ve finished cooking your nettles, don’t throw away the cooking water. That liquid is highly nutritious. Many nutrients are soluble in water, so when you blanch or boil your nettles (or any other edible green), some of their nutrition is transferred from the leafy greens into the cooking liquid. That leftover liquid holds vitamin C, vitamin A, and minerals (including calcium, potassium, zinc, and iron), so why throw it away?
Nettle Soup
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Ingredients: 1/2 pound stinging nettle tops and leaves - be mindful not to get any blemished or woody stalks. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil 6 cups Organic Chicken Bone Broth or Vegetable Broth 1 medium onion diced 2 garlic cloves crushed and minced 1 large white potato pealed and cubed 1 large carrot pealed and diced pink Himalayan / sea salt ground black pepper
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Directions: Slowly heat the fat in a heavy based large saucepan Thoroughly wash the nettles removing any blemished or woody parts in the process. Make sure you use tongs or gloves! Soften the onions and garlic in the fat slowly and once translucent add the carrots, potato and broth Top the pan with the washed nettles and cover allowing them to wilt - keep the temperature low to medium and once they've reduced stir all together, season generously with salt and pepper and allow to simmer lightly for 20 minutes. Once you're ready to serve blitz the soup with a hand blender and garnish with one of the below suggestions |
Garnishes
*Toasted Pine nuts.
*Splash extra virgin olive oil
*Cream
*Chive Flowers
*Trimmed Chives
Nettle Pesto
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Ingredients: 2 bunches nettle tops and young leaves (about 5 cups fresh nettle leaves) 4 cloves garlic 1/2 cup olive oil (extra virgin) 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus more to taste and salt for blanching water) 1/2 cup water (lukewarm) 1/4 cup pine nuts 1/2 cup cheese (shredded Parmesan or other aged cheese)
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Directions: 1- Steam or blanche (bring salt water to a boil and drop in nettles for a few seconds then remove and add to ice water to stop cooking) nettles to remove any sting. 2- Squeeze all excess water out of nettle. 3- Place ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. 4- Serve with hot pasta or store, covered and chilled up to one week or frozen up to 6 months. 5- Enjoy!
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Sauteed Nettle and Veggies
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Ingredients: 5 cups nettle (use gloves when handling) Veggies of choice (eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, carrot, baby corn) 3 cloves garlic 1 inch ginger root or 1 teaspoon ginger powder Water Soy sauce or liquid aminos Spring onion Coconut oil Cilantro Sesame seeds Sesame oil
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Directions: 1- Grate or finely chop ginger and garlic and add to a large skillet with coconut oil on low heat for a couple of minutes 2- Add in veggies that take longer to cook first (carrots, eggplant) followed by the rest of the veggies as well as nettle leaves. 3- Add in a few splashes of soy sauce or liquid aminos and a cup of water. 4- Once everything is cooked through, turn off heat and garnish with green onion, cilantro, sesame seeds and a splash of sesame oil. 5- Enjoy!
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Nettle Cordial
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Ingredients: 1 cup dried nettle 1 inch piece ginger (chopped) Agave Nectar 1/4 cup (or to taste) 1 Lemon (sliced)
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Directions: 1- Blanche nettles in hot water then strain the liquid through a jelly bag or a very fine mesh strainer to catch all the solid bits and pieces. 2- Next, combine the nettle tea, the ginger, and agave nectar in a large, non-reactive pot, and bring the mixture to a boil. 3- Remove the pot from the heat, add the lemon slices, and cover the pot. 4- Let steep for 24 hours, then strain off the solids. 5- Enjoy! |