Extra Wild Nettle, Wild and Brown Rice Risotto

Nettles are everywhere you look in the countryside, deeply nutritious and with a curiously sweet flavour, unlike most bitter tasting foraged greens. 

For this recipe I fried off a handful of ramsons/wild garlic with a couple extra finely chopped garlic cloves in some olive oil until softened, at this point you can add butter if you like it a little richer. 

(While you are doing this, boil off the wild rice in a separate pan with water and a pinch of salt for approximately 45 minutes, also cook the nettles for about 2 minutes in boiling salted water and then drain) 

Then I added chilli flakes, smoked paprika, fresh parsley and added the brown rice to infuse with the flavours for 30 seconds to 1 minute. 

Then you can add a glug of white wine and allow it to be soaked up by the rice. 

Next add the vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer, but I'm a veggie) until the rice is covered.

Continue stirring the broth until the rice has cooked and it has soaked up most of the juices.

Once the wild rice is cooked, add it to the broth, along with the drained off nettles which should be finely chopped. 

Add a tablespoon or two of single cream and serve.