Nettle Risotto with Smoked Salmon Broth

Wild Nettle Risotto with Smoked Salmon Broth

Serves 4 - 6

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 small onion, diced (you can also use a shallot)

Sea salt

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (or dry vermouth)

4 - 5 cups smoked salmon broth*, warmed  (any flavorful broth will work here)

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 cup finely chopped processed* nettles

Set a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and onion (or shallot) along with a hefty pinch of salt. Sauté just until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. 

Stir in the rice and cook until well covered in the butter and onion and just starting to toast. Give the rice another hearty pinch of salt. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook until no liquid remains.

Stir in the warm broth 1/2 - 1 cup at a time adding more liquid only when the rice has absorbed all the previous addition. Continue stirring and adding the broth until the rice is just tender with a bit of bite - like al dente pasta. The rice shouldn’t be dry. Finished risotto should have a similar consistency to a stew.

Stir in most of  the parmesan cheese, reserving some for garnishing. Stir in the nettles then taste and adjust the salt.

Serve right away. 

*For the smoked salmon broth I simmered the carcass of a smoked salmon with onion, carrots and celery in water for about three hours. The resulting broth was extremely flavorful. 

*To process your freshly foraged nettles, carefully submerge them in a large pot of salted, boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water then immediately shock them in an ice water bath. 

Drain and squeeze the nettles to remove excess water then roughly chop by hand or using a food processor. At this point the nettles can be well sealed and frozen to use all throughout the year.

Podcast Episode 1: Show Notes

In this episode we hear Chris and Ashley fumble their way into the world of podcasting. Hear the origins of Kitchen Unnecessary and what you can expect from this podcast. Be sure you stay tuned until the very end where Chris learns the value of silencing his cell phone while recording a show. (Hi Mom!)

New to Kitchen Unnecessary? Check out all of our video episodes here.

Chris’ other gig.

Ashley’s other gig.

Ashley’s cookbooks; Date Night In & Let’s Stay In

---

What’s next?

Episode with Langdon Cook - Author and educator Langdon Cook gets us excited for Spring foraging.

Episode with Daniel Winkler - International wild food legend, and the VP of the Puget Sound Mycological Society, Daniel Winkler.

Ashley and Chris filming in Alaska

Childhood photo of Ashley and brothers Chris and Geoff

Kitchen Unnecessary video crew while filming the fire morel episode with Langdon Cook. (From left: Ashley Rodriguez, Julie Hubert, Chris Baron, Langdon Cook, and Brandon Lee)

Spring Foraging: Nettles

The nettles are just starting to arrive here in the pacific northwest. For me this is the first of the spring wild greens that pull me out of hibernation and begin the long and thrilling season of foraging.

Nettles were the first wild food that I foraged with confidence and utter delight. What I was deemed an utter nuisance in the plant kingdom having many painful childhood memories of accidentally stumbling into stinging nettles in the woods I now shriek with delight whenever I see the first hint of purple and green leaves bursting through the frozen earth.

It is very easy to identify, readily available, and is incredibly delicious as well as being very good for you.

*Disclaimer. Of course whenever we are talking about wild foods and foraging we need to take extreme care. Never ingest anything unless you are 100% certain it is edible. Contact a reliable guide book and/or instructor before making a feast of wild foods.

How to identify

Nettles generally grow in abundant clusters and when mature they can reach up to 5 feet.

The leaves are soft and along with the stem they contain little hairs all over. We’ll talk more about those hairs in a moment.

The leaves have a serrated edge and grow directly across from one another along the stem. Later in the season the flowers cluster where the leaves meet the stem.

Young leaves tend to be more heart shaped and have a purple hue.

View fullsize

How and when to harvest

Urtica Dioica (stinging nettle) contain trichomes, hollow stinging hairs that are like needles injecting chemicals such as histamine and serotonin when you touch them. Lovely, right? Many people get painful, itchy and sometimes rash-like symptoms when they come in contact with the plant. For me the pain and itching goes away within 24 hours for others it’s much less.

Always harvest while wearing sturdy gloves. I tend to snip the young plant with scissors then use the scissors as a sort of tweezers to transfer the nettles into my gathering basket.

The best time to harvest is late winter/early spring when the plant is no larger than 1 foot. The leaves are tender and even the stems can be used when collected this early.

I generally cut the young plant near the dirt and try to get them when they are 6-8 inches tall.

Although nettles are widely available I still practice foraging courtesy; leaving some for the earth and the next wild food lover.

Why eat it

For me it’s always first and foremost about flavor and nettles are simply delicious. They are earthy, a bit peppery and have a grassy, green tea-like flavor. Lucky for us they are also one of the most nutritious greens boasting with loads of vitamins (A, C, K and B) and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium and more!).

How to eat it

I’ll be sharing a recipe here very soon but for now I’ll say that first of all I love using some from my very first harvest to make a tea. It’s become a bit of a ritual for me as I welcome in nettle season. It’s still quite cold in the pacific northwest when nettle season begins but the hit of a grassy, herbaceous and nutritious warm tea reminds me that spring is indeed coming.

I’ve dried the leaves for nettle tea all year long and recently Langdon Cook told me that he loves to add dried nettles to soups as you do dried herbs.

Drying or blanching nettles will remove the sting. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then dunk the nettles into the water for at least 10 seconds. Some recommend 30 or even a bit longer but Langdon promises us that 10 seconds is all you need.

Have a large bowl of ice water nearby to immediately stop the cooking and to keep the bright green color.

Use nettles as you would spinach. It’s lovely in soups, baked goods, in pasta doughs and it makes an incredible pesto.

Once the nettles have been blanched, chilled, squeezed tightly to remove the excess water and roughly chopped it freezes beautifully.

As always we welcome any tips, corrections and recipes you may also want to share.

Holiday Gift Guide 2019

It’s our first annual Kitchen Unnecessary gift guide. Below is a list of some of our favorite gear for enjoying the great outdoors. We hope you find this list helpful.

Be sure to head to our Instagram to check out the incredible giveaway. We’re partnering with some of our favorite brands to give a lucky winner an incredible gift pack. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to enter and head to our Instagram page for another entry! (If you’re already a subscriber, you’re already entered. But we’d love it if you shared it with a friend. Thank you.)

1. Herne Wool jacket This is definitely an everyday wear for me. It’s warm enough as a jacket for most days here in the PNW. On the very cold days this works well as a layer. Love the fit and the style. 

2. Kitchen Unnecessary Beanie - Who doesn’t need another beanie? No one wants cold ears. This helps. 

3. Truffle Dog Co. - Truffle Hunt - It’s truffle season here in the PNW and I’m ready for it. Well, ready to head out with the Truffle Dog Co. Need a group gift? Organize a trip to head out in the woods and find this special ingredient. A truly unforgettable experience.

4. Mycologos - Mushroom Course - This is on my list this year. While I’m comfortable identifying a few choice edible mushrooms I am really eager to learn more about mushrooms. This class is thorough and enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. 

5. A guided fishing excursion - Check In with your local fly shop to see what sort of trips they offer. I gifted Gabe with a guided fly fishing trip on the Yakima river last year with Red's Fly Shop and it was one of our favorite days from the year. 

6. Orvis Encounter 5-Weight 9' Fly Rod Outfit (5wt, 9'0", 4pc) This rod was recommended to us by guides both young and old while fishing our way through Utah. Affordable, yet fishable. This rod and reel combo is a really great place to start if you’re considering getting into fly fishing. It’s also a respectable option if you’re looking to add a 5wt to your arsenal. 

7. Opinel No. 8 knife - Whether it’s a hike, a hunt, an outdoor cooking excursion or a foraging trip I’m never not carrying this knife. The classic simple design is hard to beat. 

8. Opinel mushroom knife - Another Opinel knife. This mushroom knife has both the hooked blade and a stiff bristled brush. 

9. Foraging basket - I’ve been following Slater’s Handwoven Baskets for a while on Instagram. The baskets Corey makes are beautiful and I’ve got one on my personal wish list. ;)

10. Plant a tree - Earlier this year I read an article about the power of trees to fight climate change. With such a huge and daunting issue facing our world today it’s hard to know what we can do to help. Plant a tree! We have given the gift of trees as wedding gifts and to friends who understand the impact. It’s perfect for the friend or family member who is not looking to add more things but wants to make a difference.

11. Field Company Cast Iron - This is my favorite cast iron pan. Cleans like a dream and is much lighter than most. I use it at home and at the campsite. 

12. Stanley Flask In order to catch a fish you need to drink like a fish - or so they say. This flask conveniently fits into my front pocket on my waiters so you know, if the fishing is bad at least you have something to keep you company or if it’s good you can have something to celebrate with.

13. Pocket Bellows Our guide in Montana, Ranga, introduced us to this amazing tool. It’s perfect for getting the fire going. It is now in our outdoor cooking kit that goes with us on all of our adventures. (Watch the Montana Episode fishing and cooking with Ranga)

14. National Park Field Notes I am never without a notebook and I love this new series inspired by our National Parks. With each purchase of this series Field Notes donates 5% to the National Park Service.

15. John Geirach Book  John Gierach just might really be the best fishing writer. He’s certainly our front runner. He finds a way to put express how fly fishing makes you feel and captures the nuances of this beautiful pastime that keep us all returning to the water.

16. Sitka Long Unders Sitka makes light, medium, and heavy weight base-layers and they also have a Merino Wool version that’s a little more expensive. The Sitka Hoody is on Gabe’s personal Holiday List. These are great for staying warm in your waders when fishing during the colder months.

17. Straw Hat This hat let’s the world know that you’re serious about taking it easy. Blocks the sun from melting your face and your piña colada. A strap to help provide a snug fit and keep this beauty on your head while you ride horses on the beach. Ours has held up well over time.

18. Miir Pourigami  

19. All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms  

20. Modern Huntsman A beautiful bi-annual publication with a knack for curating stunning imagery and thought provoking story telling. They care about hunting and conservation and furthering conversations about the both. We can’t wait for their Woman’s Edition.

We also have lists of our favorite items for outdoor cooking as well as our library of outdoor related reading, some of which would make great holiday gifts.

Please note, as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you.