Wrenshall News: Add some zing, not sting, to your greens arsenal

The scientific name for a weed I am seeing a lot around the farm this spring is urtica dioica, which sounds like something a doctor might tell you if your urinary tract infection has taken a turn for the worse. I much prefer the common name: nettles. The two t’s in the middle of the word look like the tiny spines on the stem of the plant itself. This is where the hollow hairs called trichomes reside. They act like hypodermic needles, injecting chemicals like histamines into flesh to produce a stinging sensation on contact.

My maternal grandmother Mildred once told me about her first encounter with nettles. It involved an outdoor bathroom experience that didn’t end well. I remember the first time I got stung. It wasn’t nearly so painful but I was so confused that something so ordinary looking could be so powerful.

Nettles grow worldwide and they can be surprisingly tasty to cook with. Since many of us are spending more time at home, you might be noticing them more often. They can be found alongside buildings or fencerows and they thrive in moist, rich soils.

I’m always eager for fresh greens in the springtime and when I learned that you can eat the early weed I was excited to expand my culinary pursuits – especially considering that nettles are full of good vitamins. I’ve tried them in pesto, rice bowls, and even as a topping for tacos. My friend’s son lives in Switzerland and uses them often in soups alongside carrots to add sweetness. Nettles taste sort of like spinach with a nutty, earthy flavor. The best description I’ve heard is to imagine spinach’s dangerous older brother just came home from college and asked you out on a date.

I imagine there is a metaphor for our times somewhere in the biology of the nettle plant, but as I contemplate what that might be, I’ll enjoy the first greens from my garden, feeling somewhat transgressive knowing they are, technically, a weed.

Pesto d’urtica

Ingredients

1 large bunch of nettles – whatever you are able to hold in your hand (with gloves on, of course!)

1 clove garlic

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

¼ cup walnuts

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Wear gloves to handle the raw nettles!

Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to boil

Add the nettles and blanch for 90 seconds.

Drain the nettles (save the water for a cup of nettle tea)

Place the nettles in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic, nuts, and lemon juice until the mixture forms a paste.

With the machine running, pour in the olive oil. Transfer to a bowl and fold in the cheese and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve over pasta or as a dip

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