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Use nettles to connect with nature this spring

Cookbook author Ashley Rodriguez shares some delicious and healthy ways to use nettles in the kitchen. #newdaynw

SEATTLE — Recipes from Ashley Rodriguez's book "Rooted Kitchen."

Nettle Mint Pesto

MAKES 1½ CUPS

Ingredients

  • 1 cup blanched, drained, and chopped fresh nettles
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more as needed
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (about ⅓ cup)
  • Kosher salt

Directions 

  • Combine the nettles, mint, garlic, and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until minced.
  • Add the lemon zest and juice, oil, Parmesan, and ¼ teaspoon salt and pulse until creamy.  I leave the pesto quite thick, so I can use it for a number of different recipes.
  • Taste and add more salt or citrus if desired.

Nettle Tea

MAKES 1 CUP

Ingredients:

  • 3 to 5 fresh nettle leaves

Directions:

  • Steep the leaves in hot water. Strain after 3 minutes, then enjoy right away or cool and serve over ice. The sting is removed after a 30 to 60 second soak in hot water.


Dried Nettles

MAKES 1½ CUPS

Ingredients: 

6 cups fresh nettles

Wearing long sleeves and gloves, wash and dry the nettles, then remove the leaves from the stems.
Spread the leaves in a single layer in dehydrator trays or set on a wire rack in a baking sheet.

Dehydrate or heat in the oven set on the lowest setting until the leaves are completely brittle, 1 to 2 hours in the dehydrator or 3 to 4 hours in the oven. Once completely dried, the sting from the nettles will have been neutralized. Crumble the dried leaves and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. It's best to use dried nettles within 6 months.

Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day

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