Bushcraft, survival and wilderness skills courses

This is one of my favourite recipes to cook for vege. friends who want a wild food dinner and would probably be my first choice if I was forced to host an episode of come dine with me. Tasty and filling it looks great on the plate and there is always something a little daring about the concept of eating stinging nettles.

As a rule I serve it with a couple of salads or new potatoes and a warm tomato sauce but its versatile enough that you have plenty of other options to experiment with.

Like my Cat nettles don't like being stroked the wrong way but with a little care in handling its easy to gather nettles without gloves and still not get stung. Remember the stings grow pointing upwards and outwards so to pull in the direction of sting growth  means that the tips can't penetrate and break which is what gives that painful effect that we have all experienced

I should point out in the photo the white flower is three cornered leek a slightly milder wild Garlic

Meanwhile back in the kitchen...........

Those of you who know me may well know I live with a half cat half Godzilla type creature that some may mistake for a simple cat. And how I handle her and nettles to avoid any sharp pains is pretty much identical.

Like cat fur nettle stings grow in one direction up the stem and out along the leaves stroke cat or nettle in the right direction and no harm will come however stroke them against the direction of growth and you’re asking for trouble.

Knowing this makes handling nettles a lot easier and once your holding a nettle there is so much to be done with it. The fresh new leaves once blanched make for an excellent spinach substitute. The older leaves make for a pleasant hot drink and the stem will give you some of the finest fibres for string making.