Because we are constantly chasing modern trends, even food-related trends, many typical dishes from our local cuisine are unjustly neglected. We eat avocados and iceberg lettuce, ignoring plants, which grow in our local gardens or forests, and that once found their place in our grandparents’ plates.
A strong detoxifier and a powerful remedy against hair loss–nettle, is also a delicious ingredient in our traditional Moldovan cuisine. It is hard to choose from nettle soup, nettle and potato ragout, or the classic combination of mămăligă [məmə’ligə] and nettle stew. Surely, the best nettle is the one you harvest yourself, from your own garden or from the local woodland. Be careful to ask for its origin, if you buy it from the local market! Nettle has to come from a clean place, without too much car traffic around.
For me, nettle tastes like mushroom stew. I like to serve it with mămăligă – our traditional polenta. Like spinach, you shouldn’t cook nettle for too long.
It’s important to pick up the nettle in early spring, when it’s fresh and tender.
Don ́t forget to wash it thoroughly before cooking.
AuthorNata AlbotCategoryMain CourseDifficultyIntermediateStart with making mămăligă (see recipe #29 in my cookbook EAT LIKE MOLDOVANS).
Meanwhile, prepare the nettle stew.
Wash and pick over the nettle removing any stems; blanch for about 2 minutes.
Drain the water and season with salt.
Fry 2–3 onions and 2 garlic cloves in oil then add the chopped nettles and stew them a little.
Continue by adding 2–3 tablespoons of flour. Stir everything until the flour gets a cream color. Add boiled warm water and stew for 5 minutes.
The nettle season coincides with the Great Lent and it is widely used in various dishes. However, if you do not fast, you can add some butter and 2–3 tablespoons of sour cream.
I recommend serving it right away, when it’s still warm. If you reheat it the next day it will lose its taste. Serve with steaming mămăligă, dipping it into the delicious stew.
Ingredients
Directions
Start with making mămăligă (see recipe #29 in my cookbook EAT LIKE MOLDOVANS).
Meanwhile, prepare the nettle stew.
Wash and pick over the nettle removing any stems; blanch for about 2 minutes.
Drain the water and season with salt.
Fry 2–3 onions and 2 garlic cloves in oil then add the chopped nettles and stew them a little.
Continue by adding 2–3 tablespoons of flour. Stir everything until the flour gets a cream color. Add boiled warm water and stew for 5 minutes.
The nettle season coincides with the Great Lent and it is widely used in various dishes. However, if you do not fast, you can add some butter and 2–3 tablespoons of sour cream.
I recommend serving it right away, when it’s still warm. If you reheat it the next day it will lose its taste. Serve with steaming mămăligă, dipping it into the delicious stew.
Notes
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