A Forager's Green Smorgasbord from the Garden Wild by Brian Burger

Have your "spring tonic yet"?  Myth and tale abound from culinary texts and history (or "ethnobotany") of the indigenous native Americans to European settlers - mostly in my area from the still active heritage of Pennsylvania Germans.

Last night I feasted on a foursome of prevalent and plentiful wild greens.  My wife feasted along with me with a bit more conservative relish. The menu? Hot, steamed Stinging Nettles with a drop of apple cider vinegar and dash of salt. Second was Wintercress, also steamed, with a touch of butter, salt and pepper. The entrée was the more adultered Dandelion greens dressed with hot bacon dressing and ramps (actually a gravy) and with sides of small boiled potatoes from the larder and fresh hen’s eggs hard-boiled and quartered. I felt as content as an arising bear having its fill of vernal vitamins!!

 Perhaps one needs the "woodsy gene" or a forager's heart, but I found it to be heavenly!

 Leeks! Ramps!  Springtime!! There are few places in Centre County to find these.  Consider traveling north in early spring to some place north of Renovo.  Other areas of the Appalachian Plateau and ridges including the South are inhabited by ramps, also. Find a damp, open-woods slope often near a stream to see patches of bright green 4-8 inch flag-like leaves.  Be mindful of property and environmentally  intrusive digging. Use a trowel or small digging bar but only pry enough to loosen the roots. Do NOT decimate a patch or the forest floor!! In the kitchen or utility water source, wash away soil remnants, clip off the roots just at the bulb.  I leave the leaves intact and generally sauté whole or chopped. The stalks can be frozen for later use in anything from scrambled eggs to spaghetti sauce. I used mine with the bacon dressing. A complete spring dynamic.

 Stinging nettles will make the naïve scream with hot pain or, at least, undeniable tingling, but the young plants this time of year harvested with caution and boiled or steamed are delicious and nutritious.  Many in the know would suggest gloves for harvesting.  Some will advise holding off until later in spring, and some of them suggesting juicing for nutrients. The tougher palm-side skin of thumb and fore-finger can deftly pluck the top inch or two of these plants if careful not to brush the top of hand or fingers against the stinging leaves and stems. Rinse in a colander taking continued care not to touch.  Dump them into a steamer or saucepan with slight water and cook 5 - 10 minutes. Ease, tasty and full of good stuff. And, watch you nettles patch for further harvest.  The pinched buds will develop even more buds as a result of pruning.

Wintercress is so plentiful.  Once it becomes known to you, it will be an oh-my-gosh moment.  Even more so after you eat some of this common Brassica - Mustard family member.  The whorled young greens can best be cut in wholesale fashion with a paring knife just below or at the ground so enough of the root remains to hold the leaves intact.  Wash this well, then cut the leaves free.  Atop the leaf bunch is a flower bud similar to a pea-sized broccoli head.  I find the flavor much like broccoli if not just a bit more bitter.  Steaming tames the bitterness, but my palate finds bitterness a bit refreshing.  Maybe that's why I so enjoy a Double Rainbow IPA at the Elk Creek? Surely a brew will wash this all down with savory delight. Aficionados of wintercress are split on the harvest of this wild plant.  Some prefer December after adequate winter chill has calmed the bitterness a bit, but then you'll be harvesting from a mature, adult plant, also. I find springtime with this one hard to beat.

Dandelion.  An import of the chicory family with many uses.  Granted, it is not pleasant in the tended vegetable garden, but why fight so hard killing these from every other place? They are useful in many ways - greens, flowers for salad or wine and then the roots dried and roasted for a "coffee". If you or someone else does actively fight these with the many commercial poisons, do NOT harvest there! In fact, be wary of all places you harvest wild edibles!! Cut dandelions free as with wintercress and best early before flowering.  Scrub them clean and delicately pluck away dead or unfitting leaves mostly at the base.  Cut away the remaining root portion just enough to keep the leaves intact together. Remember, the young buds are delicious.  If they fall free in handling, add them to the greenery. Drop the greens into bubbling hot bacon dressing (recipe below) and toss for just a minute to wilt.  Place them in a shallow bowl with quartered hard-boiled eggs and hot cooked potatoes. Ummmm!!

Hot Bacon Dressing (Will make enough to dress 2 quarts of greens)

Fry 6-12 slices good, local, nitrate / nitrite - free bacon. Remove and chop and save the cooked bacon. Sauté ¼ cup or more of chopped wild onions or ramps. Add about ½ cup flour to the hot grease and stir into roux. On medium-low heat, cook a bit to brown the flour.  Add water (about 2 cups) slowly while constantly stirring and making to a thick gravy.  Stir in sugar and cider vinegar to a hearty sweet-sour taste as desired.  Add salt and black pepper, then stir in the chopped bacon bits. Use amount desired and/or store what is for later. For greens, drop them into the dressing and toss one minute, or so. Covering during this last step will wilt and heat greens a bit more if that is your liking. Serve dressed greens with hot potatoes and hard-boiled eggs for a complete meal in itself.

NOTE: Wild edibles must be approached with field knowledge and the experience of your own tolerance.  Proceed with caution always!!

For more personal tutoring in ways of woods and farmstead contact:

Brian B. Burger

New Harmony Farmstead

Coburn, PA

newharmonyfarmstead_at_hotmail_dot_com