Stinging Nettle

When ever I go to the farmers market, I'm always looking for nettles. I'm so appreciative when someone has taken the time to gather these, bundle them up and bring them to market. I mean really, the amount of work in gathering nettles with their treacherous stings should fetch far more than the 3 dollars that I happily hand over for each bunch.
Last time, my sister and i arrived just as everyone was packing up, but I was still lucky enough to grab the last bunch. We took the river path home (looking for the donkey), and found ourselves behind the old Abbotsford convent. We found no donkey, just a few sheep, who were all snug in their thick matted winter coats of wool, happily munching on ... stinging nettles.

I wouldn't dream of taking the sheep's nettles (I'm sure they are super good for them, and don't sting when you eat them right, just ask the sheep how to do it...) but the overlooked garden path had plenty, so I gathered a huge bag full, careful to get the youngish looking ones, which are sweet and tender. Now before my mother starts to panic that maybe these wild nettles had been sprayed with insecticides, I'm fairly sure that that whole area hasn't seen a spot of poison for many many months, judging by the health of said nettles. However, if you're going to gather weeds, make sure you're sure too.*

Now, to cook.

I use two pairs of kitchen tongs to make this easier, you could just use gloves if you have some that are really thick and waterproof. Use a sink or a large basin of cold water to wash the nettles. Leave the nettles on the stems to make them easier to handle. Grab the base of the nettle stem and swish it around in the water, to remove any grit or dirt. Pull off any damaged leaves and large flower clusters. Heat a large pot of water to boiling then reduce to a quiet simmer. Take a few stems at a time and plunge into the water. This instantly removes the sting. After blanching for a minute or so, remove the nettles and place in a colander to drain. Repeat till you've done them all, saving the water for cooking.

The blanched nettles still have their delicate hairlike spines still hold their form, which is quite beautiful. They are a gutsy green, very sweet and tender with an amazing nutritional profile, and are useful for many common complaints and lacks.

* It is best to gather nettles that look pretty clean and young. The older plants can be a bit tough and not so sweet. Straight after heavy rain, the leaves can get splattered with mud, which is harder to clean, you'll need to soak them for a little while first.

To Eat.

Nettle is delicate, and I prefer not to mix it up too much, keeping it whole while blanching, then roughly chopping into large (5cm) clumps. A simple pasta dish with slow cooked leeks, olive oil, fresh cheese (goats cheese or fresh, salted ricotta), garlic, a few olives and clumps of nettle.... delicious.