Edible Campus volunteer Isabelle Low writes: Here is a further recipe using seasonal nettles. Thanks to Lindy Maclean for sharing this recipe.
Ingredients
200g freshly picked nettle tops
1kg granulated sugar
40g citric acid (1 tsp of citric acid = 4 tbsp lemon juice).
500ml water
Sterile glass bottles with tops, either screw or cork
Instructions
Step 1: Collect, wash and spin dry in a salad spinner 200g of nettle tops.
Step 2: Weigh out 1kg of granulated sugar
Step 3: Measure out 40g of citric acid. Citric acid can often be found in health shops.
Step 4: Add the granulated sugar, citric acid and water to a large saucepan, and heat the mixture until it reaches 60 degrees C, then remove from the heat.
Step 5: Now add the nettle leaves, and stir well so that they get covered with the liquid, then cover and leave for a week. Make sure that you stir your nettle cordial mixture daily.
Step 6: After a week is up, sterilise your bottles, then strain the liquid through a sieve or colander and bottle.
After opening a bottle, make sure that you refrigerate your nettle cordial.
Plus a much simpler option from Sandy Taylor: Another use for your nettles would be to blend them with fruit of your choice remembering to put some water in the blender first and there you have a very healthy green smoothie!Â
Thanks to both Lindy and Sandy
