Beneath its sting lies a forgotten superfood that sustained nations through their darkest times – the humble nettle, nature’s nutritional powerhouse, quietly thriving and often overlooked.

Using thick gloves to protect my hands, I ventured to the woodland’s edge this week, where nettles are growing in abundance. Primrose, one of my nosier chickens, followed close behind, clucking softly as she pecked at the earth. Not to be outdone, Mittens, our cat, weaved between us, whiskers twitching as she sniffed at my colander of harvested greens.

With nettle season drawing to a close, I carefully selected only the top 4-6 leaves from each plant, avoiding any that were showing signs of flowering or the lower leaves of the plant, as they are less palatable and would be too tough and bitter for the risotto I was planning.

As my colander filled with vibrant green tops, I reflected on how this plant – rich in iron, vitamin C, and protein – has been nearly forgotten in our age of supermarket abundance. Yet here it was flourishing wildly, available to anyone who knows how to handle its defensive sting.

Heading home with Primrose strutting behind and Mittens leading the way, I imagined the risotto to come: nettle purée swirled through creamy rice, melted blue cheese, and a hint of elderflower. From woodland to plate – it brings me joy to transform a plant most people avoid into something truly delicious.

Wild Nettle Risotto with Blue Cheese and Elderflower

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 125g young nettle tops (top 4-6 leaves)
• Thick gardening gloves for harvesting

For the nettle purée:

• 50g of the nettles, chopped (from above)
• 3-4 tbsp vegetable stock
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil

For the risotto:

• 150g arborio rice
• Remaining 75g nettles, chopped (from above)
• 600ml vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 60ml dry white wine
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tbsp butter, plus 1 additional tbsp for finishing
• 1 tbsp elderflower cordial
• 100g mild blue cheese (I used Saint Agur), broken into small pieces
• 25g toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp fresh marjoram, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• ½ tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Harvesting and preparing the nettles:

1. Harvesting: Wear thick gloves to protect your hands. Look for young, tender nettle plants in areas away from roads and not treated with chemicals. Pluck or cut the top 4-6 leaves from each plant using scissors or secateurs.
2. Preparing: Keep gloves on while rinsing nettles thoroughly under cold water. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the nettles for 1-2 minutes until wilted and tender. This neutralises their sting.
3. Finishing: Drain and immediately plunge into ice water to preserve the bright green colour. Drain again and squeeze out excess water. Reserve 50g for the purée. 

Making the nettle purée:

1. Add the reserved 50g of blanched chopped nettles to a small food processor or blender.
2. Add 3-4 tbsp of vegetable stock, the lemon juice, and 1 tsp olive oil to help it blend smoothly.
3. Pulse several times, then blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Alternative manual method: If your blender struggles with this small quantity, very finely mince the nettles by hand, then mix with the stock, lemon juice, and oil in a small bowl. Press and stir with the back of a spoon until you have a rough paste.
5. Set aside.

Making the risotto:

1. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and ½ tbsp butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook gently for 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the arborio rice and stir for 2-3 minutes until the grains become translucent at the edges.
5. Pour in the white wine and stir constantly until almost completely absorbed.
6. Begin adding the hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring regularly enough to prevent sticking and waiting until each ladleful is almost fully absorbed before adding more. This will take about 18-20 minutes.
7. When the rice is nearly tender but still has a slight bite (al dente), stir in the chopped nettles (75g portion).
8. Add the elderflower cordial and stir through.
9. Remove from heat and stir in the nettle purée, which will create vibrant green streaks throughout the risotto.
10. Add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and crème fraîche and stir until melted, creating a silky, creamy texture.
11. Add 70g of the blue cheese and stir gently.
12. Fold in the fresh herbs, lemon zest, and most of the pine nuts (reserve some for garnish).
13. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes to rest.
14. Serve immediately, topped with the remaining blue cheese, reserved pine nuts and a few fresh herb leaves