Wild Food Larder

A nettle Dip/spread

My nettle pesto is a product that took me a long time to get excited about even though for many years i have made a variety of  dishes utlising the ubiquitous green weed…It is then, here and now, that i attempt once again to create something unique and tasty…

For all the recipes out there, all of which are very similar, i wanted something that  would stand out, with real punch….

Nettles can taste a little earthy and cotton wooly if processed incorrectly.

200g Nettle tops

100g sunflower seeds

6 cloves roasted garlic

2 tbl sp soy sauce

200ml cold pressed rapeseed oil

salt

pepper

1 tblsp fish sauce

lemon juice

Method

1. Firstly bring oven upto temperature 200 degrees and roast off a whole bulb of garlic, this should take about 10mins.

2.Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and plunge in your nettles to blanch for a few mins. Refresh immediately in cold water. Squeeze out all  excess water and place in food processor.

3.  In a dry frying pan toast off the 100g sunflower seeds until nicely brown, pour into food processor with cooked nettles.

4. Now begin to  whizz the nettles & seeds, at the same time drizzling in the   cold pressed rapeseed oil until a goodly looking soft puree appears. Check for seasoning and add fish sauce (optional) and lemon or lime juice and cracked black pepper.

The word fagot has never appealed. The look of english faggots just about sums up the nature and laziness of british cuisine..yet the word Gayette or Boulette or Crepinette cascades from the mouth and sends dribbles of saliva forth to the corners of my mouth. Yet for all intents and purposes they are much the same thing.
I make and sell Crepinettes on a regular basis varying fillings from rabbit, venison, pigeon, and pork none of these containing any of the offal.

However, a Gayette does contain offal and differs from the english faggot in that it contains passion and knowledge. I therefore am sharing with you one of my versions utilising a number of wild spring vegetables.

Place 130g of mixture in the cetnre of a piece of caul fat and roll into a barrell shape. Place on a tray lined with silver foil. Now brush with sunflower oil and place in a hot oven.

Ready for the oven, roast for twnty minutes and eat right away