Nettles are perhaps my favourite wild green.. even with it’s stings designed by nature to protect itself, I’m willing to take the sting to harvest it with thanks! This is a Spring green I really look forward to and will be on it’s way soon!
Harvested from clean organic land, I think they are a powerhouse plant to eat and we are lucky to have them..
Spring Nettle, lemon & wild garlic sauerkraut
1.5 kg cabbage
1 lemon zest & juice
2 cups of washed, rinsed, and finely chopped nettles (use gloves)
2% salt (to total weight of ferment)
A handful of wildgarlic leaves washed and finely chopped or 4 garlic cloves minced
Follow basic sauerkraut recipe. Remember “Under the Brine and then you are fine!”
I used gloves with the nettles to mix them. The sting disappears in fermentation, like it does through blanching.
Nettle, Lemon & garlic kraut has been my go to for a few years now. Why not add a small twist with adding some wild garlic to the mix.
Nettle in small quantities in sauerkraut tastes amazing! In large amounts like compost! Less is more in this case, but nevertheless an essential addition to some kraut! Such a fresh flavour & feels so good to eat!
As for nettles in kimchi!.. to die for 12 months after fermentation!
Have you fermented nettles? How do you eat yours?
I add a tbsp to the side of meals, on top of crackers and toppings, dropped into salads and dressings and into soups.
Forage and Ferment workshops on events for Staffordshire