Walk (And Eat) on the Wild Side

When my daughter was old enough for sleepover visits with friends, she once remarked that she enjoyed staying with one friend because "her mother buys us chicken nuggets and fries for dinner.  You just go pick things out of the yard."  She did not intend to compliment me.  With asparagus, that delicious Spring harbinger at our farm, still weeks away from harvest, I will admit that my own backyard is often a source for early-spring treats. Now that my daughter is an adult, she appreciates this bounty as much as I do.

Gardeners spend countless hours preparing ground, planting seeds, maintaining plants and harvesting crops that feed us, but other foods are readily available to most of us, require almost no effort to grow, are free for the picking and, (dare I say it?), are often more nutritious than food we grow or purchase at the farmer's market or grocery store.  Edible weeds, the arch-nemesis of many gardeners, are a source of abundant vitamins and minerals and they taste good.  Plus, they are almost pest-free; when was the last time you heard a gardener bemoan the fact that his or her dandelion greens were riddled by flea beetles?  Easy to identify and versatile in the kitchen, a few edible weeds are widely available and make a great combination for a simple, yet delicious, dish.  Note: before foraging, be sure the area is free of chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers, always obtain permission from property owners before harvesting any plants and only pick plants you can confidently identify as edible.

Creasy Greens

Creasy greens, a biennial European herb in the same family as mustard and cabbage, has flourished throughout the Southeastern US since the late 1700s and may be eaten raw or cooked.  Self-seeding, this cousin of cress is not invasive in the garden, has a peppery flavor and is packed with three times the Vitamin C of comparable amounts of fresh oranges.  Also known as "scurvy grass" by some Appalachian residents, creasy greens are credited with protecting early mountain settlers from that condition.  Creasy greens are one of the earliest fresh greens to grow, often throughout Winter's cold months, and for optimum flavor, pick them before their dainty yellow flowers begin to bloom. 

Dandelion Greens

With edible leaves, roots and flowers, dandelions are versatile plants that have long been used for culinary and medicinal purposes.  Dandelion greens are high in fiber, are a good source of potassium and are one of the most abundant herbal sources for Vitamins A and K.  Leaves have a slightly bitter flavor that is more pronounced after the plant begins to bloom.  To make a coffee alternative, harvest dandelion roots in the fall, allow them to dry and grind them into a powder. 

Wild Onions

Wild onions are an invasive Allium species for most lawns, but for flavor and texture, they are perfect for my "Spring Tonic" dish.  With edible bulbs and leaves, it is easy to dig clumps of these pungent wild vegetables, but rather time-consuming to clean them.  High in Vitamins A and C, wild onions are also a good source of iron, zinc and other minerals. 

From left: Creasy Greens, Wild Onions and Dandelion Greens

Foraging, the practice of harvesting wild edibles, is an enjoyable outdoor activity and with an abundant source of delicious foods now in season, early Spring is a perfect time to experiment with these ingredients in the kitchen.  Try this recipe for a "Spring Tonic" or create your own wild edible dish.  The onions have a caviar-like pop in the mouth and the greens are silky smooth with the pasta.  "Medicine" never tasted so good . . .perhaps I will invite my daughter for dinner!

Spring Tonic Pasta

For each serving:

2 ounces pasta, cooked (al dente) in 1 cup water, 2/3 cup dry white wine, 1/4 tsp garlic granules, 1/4 tsp onion granules, 1/2 tsp sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper (Seasoning the pasta water means the dish will probably not require additional salt or other seasoning.)

Remove pasta pot from heat, but do not drain pasta

1 cup creasy greens, washed and dried, leave whole or roughly chop

1 cup dandelion greens, washed and dried, whole or chopped

1/4 cup whole wild onion bulbs, cleaned and dried

Tender leaves from onions, sliced into thirds

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Add onions, toss to coat with oil and cook briefly, 1-2 minutes, until slightly translucent.  Use a slotted spoon to dip hot pasta from cooking liquid and add to skillet.  Toss to combine with onions, add greens and onion leaves and cook until greens are wilted, but still bright green, no more than 2 minutes.  If necessary, add a bit of the pasta water. (I add no additional seasoning, but salt or pepper may be added at this point.)

Pour pasta/greens/onion mixture into a large serving bowl and add some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, if you like.  Serve with crusty bread. 

*For a gluten free, low carbohydrate version, substitute cooked spaghetti squash for pasta