”Lovely plant based recipe using second growth nettles...
GeorgeFlavour Fred
Nettles are nutrient powerhouses throughout the year in different ways. This is a process using the leaves in spring or second growth in autumn (not when in seed)
SECOND GROWTH NETTLE DUMPLINGS RECIPE
Makes 20 dumplings approx
Ingredients
1kg Baking Potatoes
250g white flour
250g fresh nettles (or another green if you like)
1/2 nutmeg seed grated
2tbsp Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
At this point in the year we see a second growth of greens. It’s a good time to get some fresh green goodness and in this video I’ve made some nettle dumplings. This new growth is good as nettles will have gone to seed over summer and some say you shouldn’t eat the leaves then.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees centigrade and on a tray with some salt to place your potatoes on. They take 1.5 hours to cook through in a fan assisted oven with baking potatoes. We can blanch (dropped in boiling water for 2 minutes) the nettle tops to remove the sting squeeze out the water and chop roughly.
Once roasted and cooled slightly scoop out your potatoes (not the skin) and push through a potato ricer into a mixing bowl. Add the flour and give the blanched nettles a good chop before adding into the mix. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper then 2 tbsp of olive oil. Bring it together with your hands. It should be firm and not too sticky when holding it, add a bit more flour if it is. This can be balled up and blanched in salted water until they float (best in batches) and fry in oil to toast before adding to your dish. At this point I often leave them to cool to be ready for a dish at a later time. They will need to be added into an oven to heat through properly though.
