Stinging Nettle

If Grimm's fairy tales are allegories, the story of six brothers turned into swans ”waiting for their sister to stitch nettle fibers into sweaters that would set them free” reflects our impatience for the end of winter. Stinging nettle, one of the earliest wild perennial greens, announces the arrival of spring. It is so early, in fact, that it wears a coat: one made of tiny stinging bristles. A quick steaming is all it takes to neutralize the histamines that make these bristles sting and results in delicious, spinach-like greens. Harvest nettles in their second year of growth when they are 4' high. Steam, chop and sauté with oil and garlic, then enjoy their delicious nutty flavor!