Stinging Nettle Pesto

I’ve lots and lots of nettles in the back. I’ve been wanting to make soup or something with them for a while but my pal suggested I use them for pesto. Man am I happy he suggested it. I’ll be foraging for nettles all over the neighbourhood at this stage. It’s delicious!

I only used small measures this time as I didn’t know what to expect. I’ll be making it in bulk next time and will freeze it. Easy!

Ingredients:

A colander full of stinging nettles, 1 large clove of garlic, 10 leaves of fresh mint, 70 g of hard italian cheese (I used grana padano), a handful of whatever nuts are knocking about in the press (I had sunflower seeds handy) a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, olive oil to taste.

Method:

Once you have picked and washed your nettles (with gloves, they STING!), plunge them in boiling water for 90 seconds. This kills their sting and they are now safe to handle. Remove them from the hot water and place them in icy water to stop the cooking process. Once they have cooled down put them in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze the excess water from them. Place all the ingredients in your blender. Here’s an idea of what the measurements looked like.

Blend until nearly smooth. Add your oil bits by bits until you’re happy with the consistency. Cover with oil to conserve and place in the fridge. If you’ve any left to conserve that is.