The nettle patch in the garden has returned in full force this spring, so much so that I’m planning on digging up a large chunk of it because it’s been steadily encroaching on more and more of the yard every year. But before I hacked away at it, I harvested a few baskets’ worth for freezer nettle pesto. I don’t like canning in the traditional sense that requires boiling and all that, the heat processing can damage the flavor of more bright and delicate ingredients, like the fresh basil and lemon in this pesto, so I much prefer to just throw it in some cans, label them with a piece of tape and the date the pesto was made, and then stack them in the ol’ chest freezer in the garage.

This nettle pesto gets its herbaceous flavor from another seasonal spring flavor, and that’s raw fennel fronds + stems. Most recipes call for fennel bulbs, but they usually have a good amount of stems + fronds attached at the top, so when I’m making this pesto I like to schedule some kind of fennel-based dinner for the same week as my pesto-making, so that nothing goes to waste. (I actually have a fennel roast chicken that I’m going to be sharing here in a week or two, so keep an eye out for that! But in the meantime, this caramelized fennel bulb with goat’s cheese is a real treat.)

I also like my nettle pesto very bright in flavor, so there’s a hefty dose of lemon zest and juice in here, plus a wonderful subtle sweetness from the pistachios. And the nettle adds such a rich savory umami element to the mix. A word on raw nettle, though, it will sting you if it touches your skin, so take care when harvesting it or working with it pre-blanching. Once you blanch the leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, though, it neutralizes the enzyme that causes the stinging sensation, and it’s totally safe to touch and eat (and very delicious, to do so!)

I hope this encourages you to take advantage of the bounty of spring while it’s here 🙂 Oh! And my dear friend Bea Lubas and I have opened enrollment for our Virtual Workshop, and it’s closing in just a few days. I’d love to share more about my creative process and my photography behind-the-scenes with you, you can read more and join us here!