Nettle Artichoke Dip

15 minutes prep 25 minutes active cooking 40 minutes total

Makes 6 - 8 servings

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Stinging nettles are my favorite wild food.

Easier to find than mushrooms, we pick several pounds every spring, blanch them to neutralize the sting, and freeze portions to use throughout the year. Most of the time I make fritters, but nettles work in any recipe where you might use spinach, and they’ll taste much better.

The first tender leaves of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica)...

mark the beginning of Spring here in the Pacific Northwest. Abundant and easy to harvest, they’ve got a hearty, umami-filled flavor that puts spinach to shame.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

1 cup, blanched and drained stinging nettles (leaves and small stems) - about 1lb pre-blanched
1 teaspoon of Burlap & Barrel Purple Stripe garlic
1 cup with some of the oil from the jar Antica Valle d'Ofanto Sanferdinandese Puglia Grilled Artichoke Hearts
8oz Russian style Fresh Farmer cheese
Zest and juice from 1 lemon*
1/2 cup of Madre Terra extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of kosher sea salt
2 oz grated Bertinelli Parmigiano Reggiano
*If available, substitute 1 tablespoon preserved lemon paste

Equipment

Tongs
1 Saucepan
1 Colander
Zester
Food Processor
1 Cast Iron Skillet or Baking Dish
Measuring Cups
Measuring Spoons

What you'll have to do

Step 1

If using freshly foraged nettles, use tongs to drop them in boiling water. Cook for about a minute, then use the tongs to hold the cooked nettles over the pot to drain. Drain in a colander set over a bowl to catch the liquid, let cool, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible (save the cooking liquid, substitute for vegetable or chicken broth if the dark color is ok).

Step 2

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine nettles, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 cup artichokes, 1 cup farmers cheese, juice and zest from 1 lemon, 1/2 cup olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in processor, blitz until finely chopped and well mixed.

Step 3

Transfer to a skillet or baking dish, top with the Parmigiano, and bake until the top is browned, about 25 minutes. Serve hot with crostini and vegetables.

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Salt, Herbs, & Spices

Purple Stripe Garlic

Burlap & Barrel
Cao Bằng - Vietnam

$10 $10

$10

Out of stock

Capers, Pickles, & Peppers

Grilled Artichoke Hearts

Antica Valle d'Ofanto Sanferdinandese
Puglia - Italy

$18 $18

$18

Sold out

Cheese

Russian Style Fresh Farmer Cheese

Gina Marie
Willows - California

$8 $8

Olive Oil