Ham Steak with Nettle Pesto Potato Salad
Nettle Pesto
The nettle's sting is not kidding around - use rubber washing-up gloves when handling.
- 3 cups stinging nettles, tough stems removed
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt well. Add nettles and blanch for just 1 minute. Drain and plunge nettles into ice water to stop cooking. Drain cold nettles and squeeze well to wring out as much water from leaves as possible. Place greens in the jar of a blender. Add garlic, pine nuts and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season well with salt and pepper. Transfer to a clean jar for storing or use as we did below.
We served our pesto over boiled fingerling potatoes and tossed the whole lot together with a healthy handful of fresh watercress. A seared ham steak makes a fabulous accompaniment - sausages would be nice too.