spring finally came to Basel! after what seemed like weeks of rain and cold (1-2C in the mornings- dear Spring, are you kidding me?!), along came also one of the most memorable leafy vegetables from my childhood- nettle! or, is it even a vegetable? this is what
wiki has to say in short:
Stinging nettle or common nettle, Urtica dioica, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant, native to Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and North America, and is the best-known member of the nettle genus Urtica. The plant has many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on its leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles, injecting histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals.[1] The plant has a long history of use as a medicine and as a food source.
when i was little in the spring my grandma would make a soup from the fresh tips of nettle she picked, garnished with feta cheese, which i remember not being very fond of. but now somehow i grew nostalgic and decided to find a recipe for nettle, which i would like. it was inspired from taking a walk in the Allschwil forrest nearby our new home. there I noticed the familiar green sprigs along the path. actually, the first thing that came to mind when seeing them was not my grandma's soup, but an unfortunate memory.. when i was 4 years old and playing outside our apartment building, some older kids bullied me and dared me to jump into the nettle bush in the backyard. of course i didn't want to, so then they pushed me! i remember crying a lot and running back home with my entire legs covered in nettle stings (i guess i was wearing shorts)! terrible flashback..
anyhow, back to the recipe. after digging into some bulgarian traditional recipes this seemed like something that would be tasty, and indeed it was.
what:
1 bunch green onions,
1 medium onion,
1 bunch fresh garlic,
>300-400gr fresh nettle (tips only),
2 cups wild rice mix (or any rice you like, you'd just have to adjust the cooking time and liquid amount accordingly),
1 large carrot, chopped,
6 cups chicken/beef broth,
few tablespoons sunflower oil,
4 late eggs,
shredded cheese (optional).
spices to taste: fresh mint, marjoram, pinch of nutmeg, fresh ground black pepper, sea salt.
how:
saute the finely minced garlic and onions on slow heat in the sunflower oil until golden and soft. then add the carrots, then rice and spices and sauté until fragrant. meanwhile, pour some boiling water over the nettle. this will somewhat neutralize its stinging properties.. then wash immediately with cold water and chop finely, using gloves (just in case!). add to the rice/onion mixture and pour in the (hot) broth.pour the entire soupy mixture in a glass baking dish and bake at 200C for 40+ mins (until rice is soft and all liquid is absorbed). sorry for the inaccurate description, but i was really making this as an experiment... little before removing from the oven, make four "nests", or holes on the surface of the rice and break one egg in each. at this point you can also sprinkle with cheese if you want, but i didn't do it and was still delicious! leave in the oven until the eggs are no longer runny. bon apetit :)
and kep in mind, nettle is also super good for you, packed with iron and other goodies. from www.livestrong.com :
Minerals
Stinging nettles supply iron -- each 1-cup portion contains 7.7 percent to 17.5 percent of the daily recommended intake, depending on your nutritional requirements. Your physician may urge you to consume more iron-rich foods, such as nettles, to combat anemia or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The calcium content of stinging nettles is also significant: 1 cup provides 32.9 to 42.8 percent of the amount you require daily. Calcium promotes strong teeth and bones, and it may also lessen the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, preventing headaches, mood swings and bloating.
Vitamins
Including stinging nettles in your diet gives you a huge boost in vitamin A. A 1-cup serving contains 1,790 IU of this vitamin, nearly three times the amount you need in a single day. Vitamin D works with calcium to strengthen your teeth and bones, although its main role in the body is to normalize the amount of calcium and phosphorus in your bloodstream. Your body is able to store extra vitamin A, so the additional vitamins you consume are not wasted. Stinging nettles also serve as an excellent source of vitamin K, a vitamin your body requires for blood clotting. Each 1-cup portion contains 369 to 493 percent of the daily recommended intake. Like vitamin D, your body can store vitamin K for later use.
Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/350785-stinging-nettles-nutrition/#ixzz1tHNYdrNr
