Nettles. Schepkinsky forest, Rostov-on-Don.

Nettles are easy to find in city parks and empty lots. They have a neutral flavor and work well in salads, soups, main dishes, sauces, pies, and more. Nettles retain their flavor throughout the growing season. Dead-nettles, which have identical culinary properties, may be substituted for them.

Nettles dough dumplings. Presentation of Feral Forage project in the Untitled bar, Moscow. Photo by Jean Colet / Le Courrier de Russie.

Dead-nettles. Zaton park, Krasnodar.

Cooking dead-nettles filling for pie. The league of tenders brunch, Krasnodar. Photo by Julia Shafarostova.

Pie with dead-nettles and eggs filling. The league of tenders brunch, Krasnodar. Photo by Olga Vyrich.

Nettles and dead-nettles can be easily preserved as a pesto. Destem the leaves and boil for five minutes. Pour off the liquid, setting aside a small amount to thin the mixture. Use a blender to puree the boiled greens into a smooth paste, adding a little cooking liquid, hot vegetable oil, salt, and your favorite seasonings. While the pesto is still hot, transfer it to sterilized jars and screw on the lids. The paste can be used to make soups, sauces, green doughs, or to season main dishes.

Nettles spaghetti with mushrooms, chickweed sauce, wild berries jelly. Gridchinhall Art Residency, Dmitrovskoye, Moscow oblast.

This work was commissioned for the exhibition “I don’t know whether the Earth is spinning or not...”, curated by Francesca Altamura and Lizaveta Matveeva for the VII Moscow International Biennale for Young Art.