Foraged Creamy Wild Garlic Nettles with Polenta and topped with a fried egg, a simple and comforting family dinner that makes the most of the fresh Spring produce. Turn a handful of wild greens into a delicious, cheap meal that is full of flavour and packed with nature's goodness.
This dish is inspired by a traditional Romanian dish 'urzici cu usturoi si mamaliga', which translates to nettles with garlic and polenta. It's an incredibly popular Springtime dish made with foraged nettles and is usually enjoyed during Lent.
My version is adapted with a modern twist that is perfect for everyday cooking, it's very easy to make, and wonderfully delicious and nutritious. Wild garlic and nettles are such a great combo, and while wild garlic nettle soup is a more popular recipe over here, this creamy dish is sure to impress too.
The Romanian Orthodox Lent is quite different from the Catholic one when it comes to food that is allowed during Lent. Only vegan food can be consumed by those who observe a strict Len , so foraged nettles are usually made without butter or milk.
When made with milk, cream or butter, it's pretty similar to my creamed spinach, another popular Springtime recipe in Romania. We absolutely love greens of any sort, and we tend to add them in lots of dishes that are healthy and nutritious.
Polenta is a staple food in Romania, often enjoyed with sarmale (Cabbage Rolls), varza (Stewed Cabbage), branza ( Farmer's Cheese) and so many other traditional dishes. My recipe is basic, just water, cornflour and salt, and that's all it needs.
Another favourite dish of mine is polenta with sauteed mushrooms and bacon, which is a meatier, richer version of this vegetarian option.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients overview - the nettles
- nettles - make sure to use only fresh, young nettles, I usually pick only the top leaves and wash them thoroughly
- wild garlic - while this dish work with regular garlic too, wild garlic adds a boost of goodness and freshness, and a more mild flavour
- butter - for sauteeing the onion, if you wish to keep this dish vegan, you can use oil instead
- onion - any kind, I used a red onion, as this was that I had around, but regular onion, shallots or spring onions work just as well
- flour - they thicken the dish, making it creamy and rich
- salt & pepper - to taste - while some people find the 'to taste' vague, it really is up to one's taste, I don't like food overly salty, so I add as much as my taste buds enjoy
Ingredients overview - the polenta
- corn flour - or cornmeal in the US. Corn flour is not the same as corn starch, which is white and usually used to thicken sauces. Corn flour, or ground cornmeal can be fine or coarse, and has a yellow colour
- water - you can add half water, half milk if you wish for a creamier texture, but traditionally Romanian polenta is made with water only
- salt - be generous with the salt, as it can be quite bland otherwise
Step-by-step photos and intructions
- to cook the nettles, wash them thoroughly with plenty of cold water, and drain the water
- bring a pot of water to the boil, add the nettles and blanch them for 2-3 minutes
- reserve a cup of the nettle water, then drain the rest, and squeeze well to remove any liquid from the nettles
- transfer them to a chopping board, and chop them finely
- add the butter to a large frying pan set over a medium heat, and melt the butter
- add the peeled and chopped onion, season with a pinch of salt, and fry it until golden
- sprinkle the flour over the onion, and use a wooden spoon to mix well
- add the chopped nettles and wild garlic, and stir well
- pour in the nettle water, and mix well until you get a creamy texture and a lot of the liquid is evaporated
- season with salt and pepper
- to make polenta, bring the water to the boil, add the salt and slowly whisk in the polenta
- cook it on low to medium for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy - the polenta is cooked when you run the wooden spoon through the polenta, and this cleanly separates from the bottom of the pan. The mixture will briefly pull away and hold its shape
- once the polenta is cooked, transfer it to a pan, and top with the creamy nettles and a fried egg
Expert tips
Go for young, bright green nettles and wild garlic, which are usually at their best in early Spring. The older they get, the more bitter they taste.
Make sure to wash the nettles in plenty of cold water, even if they look clean. Blanching the nettles is an important step, not only to remove the sting, but also to improves colour and removes bitterness. Squeeze out the excess water well to prevent a diluted flavour.
Be careful with the polenta, it can bubble quite vigorously at first, and can cause burns, you can place a lid on the pan for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens very slightly and stop splattering.
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Creamy Wild Garlic Nettles with Polenta
Ingredients
- 110 g fresh nettles
- 25 g wild garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoon plain flour
- 1 onion
- 30 g butter (2 tbsp)
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the polenta
- 80 g corn flour (cornmeal, ½ cup)
- 500 ml water (2 cups)
- ½ teaspoon salt
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Instructions
- Wash the nettles and wild garlic thoroughly with plenty of cold water.
- Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the nettles and blanch them for 2-3 minutes.
- Reserve 250 ml (1 cup) of the nettle water, and remove the rest.
- Squeeze out the excess water, and chop the nettles finely.
- In a pan set over a medium heat, melt the butter, and the peeled and chopped onion with a pinch of salt, and fry it until golden.
- Add the flour, and stir well, then add the chopped nettles and wild garlic, and give it another good stir.
- Pour in the reserved nettle water, and mix well to get a creamy, thick texture.
- To make the polenta, bring the water to the boil, add the salt, then gradually whisk in the corn flour.
- Continue to cook on a medium heat, whisking frequently, until the polenta is creamy and it pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Once the polenta is ready, transfer it to a plate, and top it with creamy nettles and a fried egg.
Video
Notes
- Go for young, bright green nettles and wild garlic, which are usually at their best in early Spring. The older they get, the more bitter they taste.
- Make sure to wash the nettles in plenty of cold water, even if they look clean. Blanching the nettles is an important step, not only to remove the sting, but also to improves colour and removes bitterness. Squeeze out the excess water well to prevent a diluted flavour.
- Be careful with the polenta, it can bubble quite vigorously at first, and can cause burns, you can place a lid on the pan for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens very slightly and stop splattering.
Nutrition
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