Stinging Nettle Pesto
Stinging nettle pesto swaps basil for a wild green that costs nothing if you know where to pick. A one-minute blanch in boiling water removes the sting, and an ice bath keeps the leaves from overcooking. The nuts are flexible, so hazelnuts, walnuts or pine nuts all work, alone or mixed, depending on what is in your cupboard. Stir it through pasta or rub it on meat and fish.
Instructions
Gather the nettles from a spot that has not been sprayed with chemicals, wearing thick gloves and cutting them with scissors. Keep the gloves on until the nettles have been blanched.
Toast the nuts in a dry pan, or roast them, until they are lightly browned. Set them aside to cool.
Wearing thick gloves, drop the nettles into boiling water and leave them for 1 minute. Lift them out and put them straight into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
Drain the nettles well. Once blanched, they no longer sting and can be handled bare-handed.
Put the nettles, nuts, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, lemon juice and black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. For a coarser pesto, pound everything together in a mortar and pestle instead.
Use it on pasta, or rub it over meat or fish.
Make it personal.
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