Everyone knows that nettles are very healthy. Nettle can replenish your daily vitamin requirements, so it is important to harvest it properly and store it for the winter. Let's learn how to make blanched frozen nettles. Step-by-step recipe with a photo. Video recipe.
If there are thickets of nettles near your house, take scissors and gloves and collect it as much as you like. The best time to harvest nettles is May, when they are young and tender. For harvesting, cut off the upper part of the plant with delicate stems measuring 10-15 cm. If you did not have time to stock up on this useful grass, cut off the old shoots of nettle and after a while fresh young shoots will grow in their place. If it is not possible to collect nettles, buy them in the market from grandmothers. Just make sure that the leaves are young, from the tops, because old ones are not suitable for culinary purposes, as they become tough and prickly.
Collected or purchased nettles must be processed immediately. after cutting, it is not stored for a long time, and after a few hours it will wither and darken, and even in the refrigerator.
Frozen nettle for the winter is useful not only in cooking. It is the basis of lotions and face masks, decoctions and tinctures for rinsing hair. Frozen grass retains all the healing properties and vitamins, and in winter, when there is no fresh greens, it will definitely be used.
See also how to freeze nettles for the winter.
- Caloric content per 100 g - 27 kcal.
- Servings - Any Amount
- Cooking time - 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- Nettle - any amount
- Drinking water - 1 l
- Salt - 4 tablespoons
Step by step preparation of frozen blanched nettle, recipe with photo:
1. Place the nettle in a colander and rinse with cold running water.
2. Tear off the leaves from the twigs and put them in the cooking pot. Fill it with cold water, add salt and leave the plant for 10 minutes. The solution is prepared in the following proportion: for 1 liter of water - 4 tablespoons. salt.
The leaves should float freely and be able to rise to the surface. Then rinse the nettle under running water to finally get rid of dirt, sand, cobwebs and other debris. This action will rid the plant of small insects hidden in the greenery.
3. Return the nettle to the pot, cover with boiling water and leave for 1-2 minutes.
4. Tip the leaves onto a sieve to drain all the water.
5. Place the leaves on a paper or cotton towel and leave for a short time to dry the moisture. From above, gently blot the leaves with a cloth. Stir the leaves with your hands periodically and change the wet wipes to dry ones. If you open the window to create a small draft, drying will be faster. It is important that the greenery is not exposed to direct sunlight.
6. Cut the dried leaves into slices.
7. Fold the nettles in a plastic bag, remove all air from it (use a drinking straw) and tie tightly. You can also fold nettles into ice cube trays or silicone muffin cups. When the blanched nettle is frozen, remove it from the molds and put it in bags for further storage.
See also the video recipe, collecting nettles, harvesting nettles for the winter for nettle soup.
