The amazing Stinging Nettle! Read why and try my delicious recipes!

Have you made the most of the wonderful young spring stinging nettles this year?  Did you know that our common ‘stinging nettle’ is a wonderful herbal medicine for the kidneys?  In ancient Greek times, they were primarily used as a laxative and a diuretic.  Some people use them to help urinary tract infections (UTI’s) and prostrate problems.  According to Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine, they can also help to detoxify your blood and their high iron content helps correct anaemia.

At this time of the year, I regularly make myself nettle tea.  A couple of nights ago I made some delicious ‘Salsa Verde’ to go with some wild salmon that my husband and I were eating for supper.  Last week I was caught, by a neighbour, in the bushes hunting for young nettles to make some wonderful nettle pesto.  I made a ‘dairy-free version’ which my husband loved and did not notice the difference between it and normal pesto.  That is particularly amazing for a man who loves his cheese!  The wonderful thing about nettles is that they are free and very therapeutic!  Why not give my recipes a try, I think you will love them!  Please be sure to wash your nettles very well before using them.  Please also do not confuse them with white flower nettles.  You must use stinging nettles.

Nettle Tea – 8 heads of stinging nettles popped into a tea pot and topped up with water.  Sip away!!  From experience, I think it tastes nicer hot.

Salsa Verde – serves 2

1 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 anchovy fillets in oil

2 tablespoons of young nettle leaves

2 tablespoons of parsley

½ – 1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed and chopped

75ml (2 ½ fl oz) really good quality cold-pressed olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Himalayan rock salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in a liquidiser and whizz!  Hay Presto that is it!!!

Dairy-free Nettle Pesto – makes 2 jars

110g (4oz) fresh young nettles

150ml (5 fl oz) really good quality cold-pressed olive oil

25g (1oz) cashew nuts

2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

50g (2oz) yeast flakes

Himalayan rock salt to taste

Whizz the nettles with the olive oil, cashew nuts and garlic in a food processor or pound with a pestle and mortar.  Add the yeast flakes.  Taste and season