Hello again friends!

This week we start to enter the time of year that farmer's call "the hunger gap," when overwintered crops fizzle out, but before spring crops are ready. We have slightly less greens the next few weeks, in variety and quantity, but we are working on bringing new products from other farmers while we wait for new salad mix, radishes and green garlic to size up.

This week our friends Christopher and Kimi of Stone's Throw Farm are offering stinging nettles wild forged from their property on Mill Creek. They passed along this recipe to try out. Thank you everyone for your support!

Nettle-Walnut Pesto Crostini

YIELD: Makes 3 1/2 cups pesto (with leftovers)

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 (15- to 17-inch-long) baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
16 cloves or 1 large head garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups spring nettles*
3 cups loosely packed arugula leaves
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups finely grated Parmesan cheese
Any fresh herbs Parsley, Basil, Dill, Mint (in total about 1 1/2 bunches)

*Many people love eating raw nettles, but after washing them thoroughly, we suggest the quickest sauté or steam to melt the sting out of the nettles. 

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In shallow baking pan, toss together walnuts and pine nuts, then place in oven, stirring occasionally, and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
   
2. Arrange baguette slices on large baking sheet and bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.
   
3. With food processor running, drop in whole garlic cloves. Process until finely chopped, then stop motor and add cooled nuts, salt, pepper, nettles, arugula, and herbs. Process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil and process until incorporated. Fold in grated cheese.
   
4. Spread dollop of pesto on each baguette slice
   
   Contains Many Nutrients. Stinging nettle's leaves and root provide a wide variety of nutrients, including:
   Vitamins: Vitamins A, C and K, as well as several B vitamins
   Minerals: Calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium
   Fats: Linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and oleic acid
   Amino acids: All of the essential amino acids
   Polyphenols: Kaempferol, quercetin, caffeic acid, coumarins and other flavonoids
   Pigments: Beta-carotene, lutein, luteoxanthin and other carotenoids
   
   And some health benefits of stinging nettle:
   May Reduce Inflammation
   May Treat Hay Fever
   May Lower Blood Pressure
   May Aid Blood Sugar Control