Monday 19 May 2008

MONDAY 19TH MAY - mmm........nettles!

NETTLES.

These freebies make the perfect alternative to spinach. We have plenty in our garden and they take no effort to cultivate. They are not sprayed with anything and therefore can be considered a great organic nutrient!


I have made soup with them in the past but not today as we have a cauldron of leek,tomato,red pepper and lentil which we have been slurping. So today it is Lasgne Verdi. It does take a little more time than removing it from the packet but we always make our pasta as it is only eggs, flour and water and now pureed nettles. We had a traditional lasgne last night and the excess pasta is drying so it can to be stored for the future.

and this is it!

It requires all the cake cooling racks and a great deal of work top.

We have to get on with using and preserving the results as nettles are best picked by June 1st as after that date they start to get woody and tough.
Try it but you need to be quick!


The Lasange verdi was superb!




18 comments:

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

The lasagne look wonderful , Kissa. Well done for making your own.

Milla said...

with fingers currently throbbing from nettle work in what passes for a garden at the moment, I'll take your word for it ... kind of. Love lasagne, yum yum.

Claire said...

welshcakes: It started with P making tagliatelle and now the dried stuff from the supermarket just doesn't taste good enough so now we make it all!
milla:We didn't get stung when we were harvesting the nettles but we were wearing heavy duty gloves!!

Chris Benjamin said...

sounds fantastic! nettle also makes nice tea. gotta be careful picking it tho.

mountainear said...

We've got the nettles - I might give it a try. Does the lasagne taste of nettles?

Claire said...

benjibopper: not tried nettle tea maybe at the weekend
mountainear:The pasta doesn't taste of nettles it is akin to spinach but somehow seems a little richer and softer and quite scrummy.I think it is well worth the trouble of making it yourself!

Georgina said...

Hi, I arrived via Milla, I was going to say we always make our curry the day before we eat it. However I was intrigued by your lasagne. I've never made pasta, and as we have our own eggs and usually too many it's a great idea. Thanks, oh we we make nettle soup here too. I think it tastes better because the ingredients cost zilch! Debs x

Claire said...

the lehners in France: welcome!Yesterday we had linguine verdi sausage carbonara which was really good. We just can't stop using the nettles, we are drying some various pasta and storing it for the winter! When you have tasted home made pasta you just won't want to eat bought again. Go on it's easy!

Jules said...

Wow! I'm impressed that you make your own noodles. They look delicious. Good for you.

Sadly we don't have nettles over here. And don't they sting when you touch them, or am I thinking of something else?

Claire said...

Nettles do sting but to use them in food you only need the leaves and the stalks are the parts that sting. Wear long gloves saves the pain. Everywhere has nettles I feel sure maybe they have another name with you. Great to welcome you to my blog.

Sienna said...

...and did you know, some of our older time horsepeople boil up stinging nettles and feed them to their horses as a herbal supplement for.. iron deficiency I think it is..

Pam

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Brilliant - I found your Blog Via Un Peu and Milla from our Purplecoo . . I have loads of nettles - so I might just give it a go . . .

Maggie Christie said...

I'm drooling here at the thought of that yummy looking pasta. I've made nettle soup before, but hadn't thought to put nettles in pasta. Brilliant idea - I just might have a go at that one!

Un Peu Loufoque said...

Ha hello AGAIN Kissa having recommended you to all on Purple coo as a jolly good blog I have had my knuckles slapped by bossy Milla so am coming back here to tell you that I have recommended you to the world! She says it will make your day !

Inthemud said...

Well, I would never have known you could do that with nettles. I was having close encounters with vast nettles at the weekend and am still suffering the consequences of stings!

Fennie said...

Another drop-in from Purplecoo! Always knew you could eat nettles but have never tried it. Sadly have very few nettles left in the garden. May have to go on a hunt

Exmoorjane said...

And yes, yet another purplecooer - we hunt in packs! Have always meant to do clever things with nettles but never got round to it. Think lasagne is a bit beyond me but might try some soup. Now then, any good recipes for the dreaded ground elder??

Claire said...

To all purplecooers - after 1st June the advice is don't pick nettles. I think this is because they are getting tougher and not as sweet as newly grown crop.Maybe wait until next year now!