I started using nettles in cooking after we received some soil for our raised gardens beds, which then produced a prodigious amount of nettles several months later. Being curious, I gloved up and harvested them. Now I use nettles for risottos, soups and many different bakes. They’re rich in nutritional value and have a gentler, fresher flavour than other dark leafy greens. Nettles do take a bit of determination to tackle – so wear gloves when handling them raw to avoid being stung.
Ingredients 10
100 g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
90 g wholemeal flour (whole-wheat flour)
6 g baking powder
3 g fine salt
1 egg, medium-sized, about 50g, at room temperature
250 g full-cream milk (whole milk)
100 g unsalted butter, melted
1 lemon, zested
150 g gruyère, grated
90 g stinging nettle leaves
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Method 5
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease six holes of a standard muffin tin with a little (you can also use patty pans/cupcake liners if you like).
Put the , , . and in a medium bowl and whisk to combine, removing any lumps in the flour. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the , , melted and .
In a third bowl, combine 120 g (4½ oz) of the gruyère cheese with the nettle leaves. Fold the flour mixture into the milk mixture until well combined. Add the cheese and nettle mixture and stir with a spoon until well distributed through the batter.
Divide the mixture between the muffin holes. Sprinkle the remaining 30 g (1 oz) cheese over the top. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C (360°F) and turn the tin.
Bake for a further 12–15 minutes until golden. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool.
Urbanstead's tips
Spinach, or any other green that’s not too woody, would be a suitable alternative to nettles. Simply chop any larger leaves.
If you like to spice things up a bit, add about 50 g (1¾ oz) sliced fresh chilli or pickled jalapeños to the batter.
