After spending the morning gathering nettles, and with little else at my disposal but the products of the dairy - butter, eggs, cream, cheese and milk - I prepared this recipe for a simple omelet packed with stinging nettles and sprinkled with fresh chives. We served it with fresh berries and cream. Stinging nettle, like other leafy greens, pairs well with full-fat dairy as the fats in the dairy products (rich in fat-soluble vitamins and minerals themselves) help your body to better absorb the antioxidants contained within the nettle leaf.
Jump to Recipe
Lenae says
Just picked a big bunch of Nettles yesterday and shared with my neighbor she was thrilled! I love these amazing greens!
Jane on Whidbey says
When cooking eggs in cast iron, especially if using an electric stove, I find it easier on the eggs if you turn off the burner before adding the eggs to the pan. The residual heat is more than sufficient to cook the eggs through. This goes for grilled cheese sandwiches, too.
Ashley says
Wow! All this time I thought the entire field of nettles growing at my house were just pesky unwanted plants! I guess I need to try some of these recipes!
Elaine says
Hi Jenny,
The stinging nettles in my garden have grown so much after recent rains; your omelette sounds wonderful. I usually make risotto or soup; good to have something different to cook with them.
Marlene says
I love stinging nettle. I've only first tried it fresh this year since I could find it a local small farm that sells tons of fresh in season produce. I think more people in the States would eat it if they understood how tasty it is! It's sort of like a light melon flavor crossed with cucumber that is so ultra refreshing. I buy it dried as well from our organic bulk food section at the grocery store since it adds so much iron to meals. I add it where I don't have meat as it pairs wonderfully with any veggie. And honestly, the dried kind almost no one can taste any difference. So it's great to add nutrition for any picky eater!
Barefoot Bodhi says
My favorite nettle use (because I've never had it fresh) is to make a strong infusion of the dried leaves, steeped overnight to cooling, and then warm it back up, just until steam wafts from the surface, and pour it over a blob of raw white miso. The sweetness and saltiness of the miso go particularly well with the thick umami-ness of the nettle infusion. I suppose a knob of softened grass-fed butter would be a great addition to help absorb all the delicious nutrients.
sisilia says
wow! I love nettle and I will be trying this !check the awesome recipes at whimsytummy.blogspot.in I just loved them and I think you will too!
Brian says
I love eating nettles! They are superior to spinach, IMHO. They've got an almost cinnamon finish that I love. I also use them to cure mosquito bites! I have a mild reaction to nettles. They stings and burn a little for less than ten mins. I apply the nettle leaf to the mosquito bite and it stops itching completely. The only odd side effect is when the mosquito bite would itch later in the the day I get a tingly warm feeling where I applied the nettle to it. It never itches again!
Brian