The season for nettle picking has begun. While the shoots are young and tender, and still a yellowy green, the taste is sweet and earthy. As they age, the leaves and stalks turn a darker more blue green, and the stalks get stringy.
I found a good patch of nettles behind the coach house, and with gardening gloves on, picked a carrier bag full.
With my rich pickings a risotto was on the cards. Keeping my washing up gloves on throughout the process, I separated the leaves from the main stalks, and then washed and chopped the leaves and finer stalks. This little lot weighed in at around 125g.
In a heavy bottomed pan I fried 2 sticks of celery and 2 leeks, all finely chopped.
I added the chopped nettles and 200g risotto rice, and stirring well, poured in one pint of hot vegetable stock. Once the risotto reached the boil I put the lid on and stuck it in the Rayburn for 20 minutes at gas mark one. Easy Rayburn risotto. The results were delicious.
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