Nettles

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Harvest nettle tops in spring and through about the middle of summer- before they flower. You can then continue to harvest the tops as they continue to grow. Wherever you cut, the nettle will split off.
Cook fresh nettles and use in the same way you'd use any other cooked green, dry them for infusions and/or make nettle vinegar to take as a tonic or use on salads and in homemade salad dessings.
To make herbal vinegars, fill a jar- almost stuff it- with the plant matter, and then fill it again with apple cider vinegar, I prefer raw. Seal with a plastic lid or place some wax paper between the jar and a metal lid as the vinegar will make it rust, and let sit for at least six weeks. When ready, strain out the plant matter and seal in a clean jar or bottle.

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Nettle Soup

1Lb +/- Fresh nettle tops, roughly chopped
3Qt Pastured chicken stock
1-2 Bunches of ramps without greens (save the greens for another recipe)
2-3 Cloves garlic
1 Pkg Shitake mushrooms
1 Celeriac, peeled and chopped
Butter or ghee
Tamari, black pepper, oriental seasoning and miso to taste.

Bring the nettles and stock to a boil and then leave on a low simmer for a few hours. Cover and leave to infuse overnight.
Sautee the chopped ramps and celeriac in the butter or ghee and add the garlic and sliced mushrooms after a few minutes. Once the mushrooms have sweat and begun to cook, add it all to the soup. Bring to a simmer and add black pepper and seasoning to taste. Let simmer for about 30-45 minutes. Add tamari and miso to individual servings.

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Dandelion

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In the spring up until the weather really begins to warm up and in late fall after the frost, dandelion greens aren't as bitter and make amazing additions to salads or as a cooked green. The roasted roots make a decent bitter tea, likened to coffee. You can also make an herbal vinegar of the whole plant and a tincture of the roots.
To make a dandelion root tincture, fill a jar with scrubbed roots and then fill it again with brandy or vodka. Cap it and let sit in a cupboard for at least six weeks. When ready, strain into tincture bottles or another jar. Dosage is one to three dropperfuls up to three times a day. A dropperful is as much as the dropper will pick up. Dandelion root is used for digestive support and has some laxative properties.

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Ramp Taters

Ramps are also known as wild leeks and let me tell you, are quite the treat. Here we use the green, leafy tops in a pesto. This is a simple yet amazing recipe placing only the tops in a food processor and adding olive oil until it's the desired consistancy. Among it's many applications, I favor mixing it into smashed potatoes. Now this is one of my no measuring, throw it all together things, so go with what you feel!
To make the potatoes the way I do, wrap red potatoes in foil and bake until tender. Boil some celeriac and smash together with butter and yogurt. Fold in the ramp pesto, add a pad or two of butter, salt to taste and enjoy!


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