The Foodist: Wilted Dead Nettle Balsamic

The Foodist: Wilted Dead Nettle Balsamic

The Foodist: Wilted Dead Nettle Balsamic

I have been waiting to try this for some time. I have dead nettle blooms everywhere at Mezzacello. So I am writing out The Foodist: Wilted Dead Nettle Balsamic with toast and a poached duck egg.

A few facts about Dead Nettle. It is entirely edible and full of health benefits. It tastes like spinach and the little purple flowers are sweet and delicious raw.

Purple Dead Nettle
Purple Dead Nettle

I strongly encourage you to wilt it or use it for baking. As the Herbal Academy in the link above mentions, the leaves are hairy, so raw you’re going to taste that. I have always used purple dead nettle as a treat for the rabbits, now I know better!

Also, I apologize for the photo! I was so sure this was not going to work, I didn’t bother to take a photo until after I had tasted it. Shame on me!

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Duck eggs
  • 2 bowls of room temp water
  • 2 Tbsp of vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp good balsamic Vinegar
  • Large bunch of baby spinach, stems removed (let the baby chicks eat them!)
  • Large bunch of dead nettle
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • splash of lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • Good bread for toast
  • Butter

DIRECTIONS

  1. Prep a bowl with water. Add a Tbsp of vinegar. Crack a duck egg into this bowl. Place the bowl into a 1000W microwave for 2:20 minutes at 7 power. Repeat for the second egg – do NOT reuse the water from the first egg!
  2. In a pan, add the wine, oil, and a bit of water then throw in the spinach and let it start to wilt. Prep the dead nettle by rinsing it and then chop it up roughly. Hold back long stems and give those to the rabbits! Add the chopped dead nettle and continue to wilt. Add water if it gets too dry. Add in the salt and pepper and the balsamic to flavor.
  3. Prep the wilted greens on a plate and add a poached egg. Garnish with nettle flowers and salt and pepper. Serve with toast and butter if you’d like.

The Foodist: Wilted Swiss Chard with Apricots, Pine Nuts, and Bacon

The Foodist: Wilted Swiss Chard with Apricots, Pine Nuts, and Bacon

The Foodist: Wilted Swiss Chard with Apricots, Pine Nuts, and Bacon

This The Foodist: Wilted Swiss Chard with Apricots, Pine Nuts, and Bacon is not our dish, but it gives you an idea of what it looks like. We’ll post one of our own once we have one to update with.

This is a highly adaptable dish that can be altered to include whatever you have on hand. The fruits I use depend on what’s on the shelf when I don’t have time to plan or shop ahead. I usually keep dried apricots on hand, so that was the ingredient du jour.

This recipe can also be used with different kinds of greens. I’ve alternatively used, chard, kale, collards, even turnip or mustard greens (occasionally mixing different greens). Depending on need, I’ve stretched it by adding zucchini and/or mushrooms too.

Ingredients

  • 3 bunches Swiss chard, ribs and stems separated from leaves
  • 1 cup red onion diced
  • 2 tbs oil (bacon grease can be substituted)
  • 2-3 small zucchini if desired, chopped
  • 1/2 pound of bacon chopped (optional)
  • 3 tbs aged balsamic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts (or almonds)
  • 1/4 cup dried apricots (or some other dried fruit)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 grated or shaved parmesan cheese (goat or feta cheese can be substituted)

Directions

  1. Cut Swiss chard stems into small pieces, much like you would celery. Tear leaves into 2″ pieces and rinse well (you’ll want some water still clinging to the leaves).
  2. Fry bacon until fat is rendered, or heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Set bacon aside if you began with that.
  3. Add chopped onion and chard stems and garlic, about 2 minutes. The stems are high in cellulose they take longer than the greens, and cook at about the same rate as the onion.
  4. Once stems and onion are softened and starting to caramelize a bit, add the leaves with salt, about 3 minutes.
  5. Splash in couple of tablespoons of water and cover skillet with a lid.
  6. Once the greens are wilted down, remove the lid and continue cooking and stirring until the greens are tender.
  7. Drizzle on some Balsamic vinegar, sprinkle pine nuts and cheese, and season with salt if needed.