Nettle Risotto - 'risotto alle ortiche', and Nettle Tea

Okay can you get your kids to eat this? Yes stinging nettles make a really good ingredient in a risotto. And served with a foccacia straight out of the oven you can kid yourself that you aren't in lockdown but in Lombardy. Well just for a few minutes. This is a recipe from Carla Scarano D'Antonio who has a lovely family blog which features mouthwatering recipes http://carlascarano.blogspot.com/

Nettles have a lot of health benefits and are rich in minerals and vitamins, also they have lots of beneficial properties for blood pressure and more, I make a tea just by covering a few leaves and a few lemon balm leaves with boiling water, it makes a nice tea or cold drink, and is very refreshing. Add a drop of honey if you find the drink bitter.

Anyway

Collect half a pan full of nettle leaves, not the stems, and just the top leaves of young(ish) nettles, wash with cold water and then set to boil for a couple of minutes (they lose their sting). Then retaining the water they were boiled in, remove and blend the nettles.

Boil a kettle and add to a veg stock block in a pan and keep at a simmer. With a risotto it's important that the temperature is maintained that's why the stock pan needs to be at a simmer.

Meanwhile heat a decent glug of olive oil in a frying pan, add a finely chopped onion and start to fry at a medium heat, after a couple of minutes add risotto (Arborio) rice, two handfuls per person, stir the rice around until it starts to become transluscent and a tinge of brown. Add a glass of white wine, allow to reduce for a minute than start adding a ladle at a time of stock, also add a ladle or two of the nettle water. Continue stirring until the rice consistancy is correct and starch released adding a ladle at a time - about fifteen minutes it will of become creamy, then add the blended nettle. Stir around and then taste for seasoning and then most of a bowl of grated parmesan, a blob of butter and stir. Then serve with extra grated parmesan.

Then present the green blob to your chosen victims and see the surprise on their faces as they taste this wonderful dish.

Buon Appetito