February is a good time to start thinking about adding fresh wild edibles to salads. What??? Oh yes, even the flower of the month, the Violet is edible. Native violets begin flowering in March as small pools of woodland meltwater collect in sunny depressions.
e Violet or English Violet, and Johnny-jump ups can all be added raw to spring salads of mesclun. Just be sure to pick off the green stem and sepals beneath the flower. For years, European bakers sugared fresh violets in fine sugar after dipping in egg white or lemon juice and added them to frosted cake.
Unrolled leaves of the Clintonia, tasting like cucumber, are a crispy salad ingredient. Garden sorrel leaves are a tart bitter ingredient that some prefer to the mustard greens found in mesclun. All are free to pick, being mindful of source, found in the spring, even on lawns. Other edible plants appear soon after snow melt: the chickweeds and stitchworts, the leaves of Clintonia Lily and even the weedy garden sorrel.
Chickweed the name came to us from the Middle Englishchiken wede. Most often referring to Stellaria species, they are relished by domestic fowl, hence the name. Try these small soft common plants in a salad (the smoothStellaria species) or steamed as a green (the hairyCerastium species). Stitchworts allegedly ease pains in the side. Most words using -wort as a suffix, were commonly used to cure illnesses.
For those whose backyard is over run with Sheep Sorrel, here's a reason to love this weed:
Sorrelade
Gather 1 pound of plants before flowering. Remove bruised leaves and roots. Wash under cold water. Bring 5 cups of water to boil, add 1c. of sugar, stirring until it dissolves. Shred sorrel leaves and add to the pot. Boil a few minutes, remove from heat. Let step for a couple of hours. Strain mixture and rchill for 2 hours. Add 20 ounces of soda water. Serve over ice. As good as lemonade.....plus rids the yard of the unsightly patches.
Chickweed, photo by Ross Hall
Clintonia lily, leaves, photo by David Mazerolle
Mouse-ear Chickweed, Cerastium pumilum, photo by Martin Thomas
Sheep Sorrel, Rumex acetosella, photo by Martin Thomas
Johnny-jump-ups, Viola tricolor, photo by Martin Thomas
e Violet or English Violet, and Johnny-jump ups can all be added raw to spring salads of mesclun. Just be sure to pick off the green stem and sepals beneath the flower. For years, European bakers sugared fresh violets in fine sugar after dipping in egg white or lemon juice and added them to frosted cake.
Unrolled leaves of the Clintonia, tasting like cucumber, are a crispy salad ingredient. Garden sorrel leaves are a tart bitter ingredient that some prefer to the mustard greens found in mesclun. All are free to pick, being mindful of source, found in the spring, even on lawns. Other edible plants appear soon after snow melt: the chickweeds and stitchworts, the leaves of Clintonia Lily and even the weedy garden sorrel.
Chickweed the name came to us from the Middle Englishchiken wede. Most often referring to Stellaria species, they are relished by domestic fowl, hence the name. Try these small soft common plants in a salad (the smoothStellaria species) or steamed as a green (the hairyCerastium species). Stitchworts allegedly ease pains in the side. Most words using -wort as a suffix, were commonly used to cure illnesses.
For those whose backyard is over run with Sheep Sorrel, here's a reason to love this weed:
Sorrelade
Gather 1 pound of plants before flowering. Remove bruised leaves and roots. Wash under cold water. Bring 5 cups of water to boil, add 1c. of sugar, stirring until it dissolves. Shred sorrel leaves and add to the pot. Boil a few minutes, remove from heat. Let step for a couple of hours. Strain mixture and rchill for 2 hours. Add 20 ounces of soda water. Serve over ice. As good as lemonade.....plus rids the yard of the unsightly patches.
Chickweed, photo by Ross HallClintonia lily, leaves, photo by David MazerolleMouse-ear Chickweed, Cerastium pumilum, photo by Martin ThomasSheep Sorrel, Rumex acetosella, photo by Martin ThomasJohnny-jump-ups, Viola tricolor, photo by Martin Thomas
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment