The irritating sting of the ubiquitous nettle is familiar to most anyone that has been out for a walk in a forest or a field in the Cowichan Valley. But wait! You might not find that stinging sensation quite so bad, once you know how nutritious and versatile this early and voracious spring green can be.
While all parts of stinging nettle (urtica dioica) can be harvested, the leaves of the young plants are the most nutritious. It is one of the earliest perennial foods to pop up in spring. The green leaves are a great source of vitamins and minerals, and once cooked, the plant’s needle-like hairs are completely neutralized and will not sting you!
Cooked nettle tastes akin to spinach and can be used similarly in many recipes such as lasagnas, pestos, and soups. The leaves and flowers can be dried for a lovely earthy, vegetal tea.
Nettle roots or rhizomes are also useful, but those should be harvested in fall when the plant is redirecting energy from growth to dormancy.
In addition to being a spring staple as a nutritious food and tea, nettle is also helpful in supporting liver and gallbladder function, immune function, easing inflammation and soothing seasonal allergies.
Tips for foraging stinging nettle:
-Safety. Steer clear of patches that may have been sprayed with pesticides or other chemicals. Harvest spaces away from roadsides to avoid pollution.
-Sustainability. Only harvest what you truly plan to use. Lots of animals and insects are happy to eat these plants too!
-Best time to harvest is spring to early summer. Look for young plants with fresh, tender looking leaves.
-Use gardening gloves, a clean bucket or basket, and scissors.
-Add water to your bucket to clean your harvest. Use kitchen tongs to swish the leaves and transfer them to a colander.
Perhaps the merits of nettle have won you over, but maybe you are still not keen to venture out to collect your own – we got you! There are several local Cow-op producers that sell fresh nettle greens ready for you to use; Hop n’ Quack Homestead,Under the Oak Farm, and Rainforest + Riverbottom. Visit Cow-op.ca to see their offerings today!
If you are inspired, try this delightfully simple Stinging Nettle Soup recipe from Cow-op’s Cowichan Grown Cookbook, featuring delicious stinging nettle!
Stinging Nettle Soup
Ingredients:
-1 lb of nettle leaves (washed)
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1/4 cup basmati rice
-4 cups vegetable broth
-2 tsp sea salt
-Ground pepper
Directions:
-Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the sea salt and nettles. Cook for two minutes, then drain, rinse well and chop the nettles. (don’t worry, cooked nettle no longer stings)
-Sauté the chopped onion in olive oil until softened, then add the rice, broth and chopped nettles. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the rice is cooked.
-Purée in a blender or with an immersion blender and season with fresh ground pepper.
