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As the plants are young it is important to be extra careful. One or two leaves from each plant quickly adds up to a nice amount but without doing irreparable damage. It's important to be a responsible picker - trying to keep to paths, not talking an entire plant - both for the local environment and for the forager who hopes for a continuous supply.
I also helped myself to some of the young nettle tips we found. Returning form Cockington Supermarket I cooked up a simple, classic tea of pasta with wild garlic pesto (recipe on link above) I'm also going to try a recipe I have for nettle pesto once I'm feeling brave enough to get stung again.
See also: weekly crocus picture from the purple tub.
Post submitted to: Grow Your Own #40
I saw somewhere where you pinch the nettle leaves from the bottom, you won't get stung.
ReplyDeleteSince you're using foraged greens, come share your dish in our Grow Your Own roundup this month! Full details at
http://chezannies.blogspot.com/2010/03/announcing-grow-your-own-40.html
I saw somewhere where you pinch the nettle leaves from the bottom, you won't get stung.
ReplyDeleteOh I wish. I've also herd
'The stems don't sting you' They can and do.
'The top leaves don't sting you' they do, and it hurts.
'If you turn a bag inside out and collect them through that'... you will be stung through that!
At the moment I wear gardening gloves to collect them but they aren't above stinging me through the glove or bashing me on the leg and stinging me through my trousers.
Or perhaps it's just because I'm exceptionally clumsy. Anyway... Luckily cooked nettles really are fine