Eating Stinging Nettle!

all photos by Jonathan Schechter

Stinging nettle (Uritca dioica) is a plant you will never forget when it touches bare skin. 

The nettle stems are covered with nearly invisible tiny stinging "spines" or "hairs", almost miniature hypodermic needles!  More than once I have the wrong kind of up close and 

personal contact with this herbal/medicinal plant of early spring that by summer

 may be six feet tall and at its peak of flesh attacking ability.

But now is time for  my revenge:

 It's time to eat the stinging nettle. 

Two rules first.

NEVER EVER EAT RAW~! 

(Although it can be done)

DO NOT RELY ON MY PICTURES FOR A POSITIVE ID. 

I  went down to a moist area of my meadow not far from where catnip grows and

 searched out the nettles and with scissors carefully clipped the tiniest plants at their base.

Then it was time to gently tear off each leaf. The leaves are the best part.

They can be steamed, but I boil them in water like spinach.

I have done this many times before, and prepare it as any cooked vegetable, but today I experimented and used them in a home made soup that also included sliced tubers of

 garlic gone wild.  I chewed the thick soup two hours ago. 

I am still alive!

 All cooked!

Bon Appetit!