Stinging Nettles: It's What's for Dinner

Went out and bought a copy of the Wall Street Journal when someone emailed saying they had seen GoNOMAD in there. Wrong date, we were in Monday's edition, but still found some interesting recipes. Naha, in Chicago, likes to blanch stinging nettles in boiling water, squeeze them dry, then saute them in butter and serve on wine-braised lamb shanks with polenta. In NYC, Craft offers stinging nettle pasta, using pureed weeds, shallots and lemon juice. Out in Seattle, Earth and Ocean mixes them with morel mushrooms and tops it with pan-seared sockeye salmon and a mushroom-thyme jus.

The leafy vegetable has an 'earthy spinach' taste, according to chef Carrie Nahabedian. They also love the low, low price of this plant that pricks your ankles while you hike.