During my childhood in the quaint village of Talaván in Extremadura, Spain, nettles were not part of our diet. These wild plants flourished at the borders of fields, and like many children, I learned to steer clear of them after experiencing their sting firsthand while playing. It wasn’t until I arrived in the UK that I encountered nettles being incorporated into culinary dishes, which was quite a revelation: this wild plant had found its way into the kitchen. Nowadays, whenever I visit my mother, Isabel, I notice them abundantly. It brings me joy to think about cooking at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, surrounded by an array of stunning plants and gardens. While there may not be a large display of nettles, who knows what could happen?
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
– 500g new potatoes, sliced into 3mm rounds (approximately the thickness of a £1 coin)
– 175ml olive oil
– 150g young nettle leaves or wild garlic leaves
– 6 large eggs
– Sea salt and black pepper to taste
– 100g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
– 2 tablespoons chopped chives
Begin by placing the sliced potatoes and olive oil into an 18cm nonstick frying pan. Cook them gently for about five to six minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes and transfer the oil into a jug.
Next, blanch the nettles or wild garlic in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain them, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Once they are cool enough to handle, chop the leaves roughly.
In a large jug, whisk the eggs and season them generously. Add the warm potatoes and the chopped greens, mixing everything thoroughly. Then, fold in the crumbled goat’s cheese and chopped chives.
Return two tablespoons of the reserved oil to the pan and set it over medium-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and allow it to cook gently for six to eight minutes, or until the edges are just set while the center remains slightly runny.
Gently run a spatula around the edges to loosen the tortilla, then place a flat plate over the pan and flip the tortilla onto the plate. Carefully slide it back into the pan with the uncooked side facing down, using the spatula to tuck the edges under to achieve the traditional rounded shape.
Let it cook for an additional two to three minutes, then transfer it to a clean serving plate. Slice and serve, ideally accompanied by a crisp green salad.
