Nettle Souffle
By Alison Steele
I’m at the beck and call of spring sunshine as the earth warms and the sweet scent of berry blossoms wafts through the garden. It’s time to free up the blueberries as they intertwine with the nettles in a delicate dance of time and space. At the peak of their nutrition, I pull the nettles as the blueberries start to bloom. Hanging them to dry for tea, blending and freezing into ice cube trays for summer sauces and soups, and packing them into the blender for morning smoothies, are all quick ways to preserve this powerhouse of a plant. Now uncovered and free to flourish and grow, the berry bushes become the object of desire for the neighboring bees, eventually swelling into dark blue edible orbs in late spring.
These two have been living side by side for some years now. Able to run wild along forest pathways, nettles need a bit of tending in a mountain garden so as not to crowd their neighbors. While the ground is still wet or after a deep watering, snip tender green tops in segments, saving them for morning smoothies, the larger leaves for tea, and even the stem and roots for medicine. Gently shake away the soil from the whole plant, rinse the roots in a water barrel, and pack them into clean mason jars. Cover with apple cider vinegar or a good brandy for hair, skin, and nail nourishment throughout the winter.
Into the basket go the tender tops along with the bright green leaves of the upper stalk. Stored in the fridge or a cool place, fresh nettles will keep for about three weeks. I work barehanded with this plant for the healing qualities, but if gardening with children or new to nettles, protect arms, little bodies, and hands while educating young gardeners about the healing properties of the Stinging Nettle.
With the abundance of fresh eggs and the nettles at their peak, a delicate souffle is a fun and nourishing dish for spring!
Nettle Souffle
Serves 4
2 cups water
4 to 5 cups nettle tops
2 T grass fed butter or oil for sauteing
1 medium onion, minced
Pinch baking soda
2 T Jammu flour
1 cup milk or nettle broth
3 fresh egg yolks, beaten
3 fresh egg whites, beaten until soft peaks form
Steam nettle tops in a pot with the 2 cups of water. Let cool while sauteing onions, reserving the nettle broth. Time to make a bechamel with or without milk, your choice. Heat butter or oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of baking soda for soft, faster cooking onions. After a few minutes, sprinkle with flour and saute for another few minutes until golden. I use the Jammu whole grain flour grown and milled fresh each week at Pie Ranch when making a rich whole grain roux. Add either milk or the reserved nettle broth, a little at a time, stirring with a whisk as the golden sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool while you blend the steamed nettle. Add a little liquid to the blender and whirl until smooth. Stir the gravy into the yolks little by little, along with the nettle puree, and gently fold in the whites. Spoon into four buttered ramekins and bake, without opening the oven, for about 40 minutes until puffed and golden. Garnish with wild onion grass and rosemary blossoms and serve immediately with the first strawberries of the season!
A native of Virginia, Alison Steele lives with her husband, two children, and cat in Boulder Creek where she raises quail, chickens, fruit trees, vegetables, and herbs. Alison plays banjo and sings in Sugar by the Pound.
(alison photo here)
Photos by Alison Steele
Featured photo: Nettle Souffle fresh out of the oven
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