Wild Nettle Risotto

Next time the cupboards are looking bare, head down the garden. Seconds from your back door you can find some of nature’s healthiest and most nutritious offering; the humble nettle.

Head outside, don you gloves and look for young nettles (one’s that have yet to flower). Make sure you pick only pick the tips, the first four or five from the stalk.

Once you’ve foraged your nettles, cook them up in soup, brew beer, or try our wild nettle risotto recipe.

What you need

1 Knob butter

1 Onion

3 Spring onions

1 stalk celery

180g Arborio rice

200g Nettle tops

1 litre chicken stock (or vegetable if you want to stay meat-free)

2 cloves garlic

Fresh herbs

Seasoning

60g Parmesan or other hard cheese

What to do

1. Wash the nettles thoroughly and then boil in salted water for two minutes. When cool, squeeze the excess liquid out and chop.
2. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and cook the spring onions, onion, celery and garlic on a low heat until golden.
3. Add the rice and stir 1/4 the stock a little at a time, allowing the rice to slowly absorb the liquid.
4. Add the nettles, and then slowly pour in more stock, waiting for it to absorb.  After around 20 minutes, the rice should be cooked.
5. Season and stir in the grated cheese.