Nettle Cordial

Nettles feature heavily in both Life in the Making and Wildcraft Homebrew. This time of year there is hardly a day in the kitchen where I am not using nettles for something - pesto, cake and cordial all feature a lot.

A few years ago, a guest gave me a bottle of nettle cordial. I thanked them profusely… and then stuck it in the back of the drinks cupboard. You see, I was sceptical. It sounded nothing short of weird, and maybe bordering on gross. In my mind, nettles were strictly a savoury endeavour.

A few months later, Theo found it and wanted to try some. Honestly it was more of a dare than anything else. But we diluted it with water, added ice and drank…

… and it was delicious. Citrusy and sweet and very unexpected, it has quickly become favourite. Try it with gin for a gimliet

Nettle Cordial

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Yield: 12

Author: From the Kitchen of Gartur Stitch Farm

Prep time: 10 MinInactive time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 10 M

Citrusy and sweet and very unexpected, nettle cordial has quickly become a staple around here.

Ingredients

• 500g (2 ½ cups) sugar
• 500ml (2 ¼ cups) water
• 150g (1 ½ cup) chopped nettle

Method

1. Mix the sugar and water, and heat on the stove in a heavy saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the nettles and take off the heat. Keep in a warm place for at least two hours.
3. Strain out the nettles and store in a sterilised bottle.
4. The cordial will keep for about two weeks in the fridge, or pour into a plastic container and stick in the freezer

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