Stinging Nettles

Don't be scared.  You can eat them!  Remember when you were a kid; those prickly green weeds that if you stepped on hurt your feet?  Turns out they are quite good for you and are a plentiful Ontario product.  I understand that Aboriginal people have always eaten nettles, but I also found a recipe for nettles in an Italian cookbook, so it is not so crazy a thing to eat!  My first attempt was to cook them in a little butter and garlic, but the result tasted like wet carpet.  This time I turned it into a frittata (a modification of the Italian recipe) and I quite liked it.  Little Critic had her mandatory one bite and I was able to convince her to eat two more when covered in ketchup and the promise of a square of dark chocolate.  Big Critic didn't eat it, but is taking for lunch, so I'll have to wait on his feedback.  Perhaps the quest for nettle recipes will have to continue! 

Nettle Frittata

• 2 cups stinging nettles (Ont)
• 1/4 cup of butter (Ont)
• 3 TBS of chopped chives (Ont)
• 8 eggs (Ont)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese (probably from greece!)

Submerge all the nettles in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  They are safe to handle with bare hands now, so you can safely pull out any large stalks.  Chop them into small pieces and place to the side.  In a stove top and oven safe pan, heat the butter until melted and then add the chives and nettles.  After 2 minutes, add the well beaten eggs.  Shake the pan to evenly distribute and then sprinkle with feta cheese.  Place in a 375 oven for about 10 minutes or until a fork comes out clean from of the center.  Serve hot or cold with a side salad.  Enjoy .... or at least now that you did something healthy for yourself and the environment!