A Foraged Salad

by LEON BOUTEILLER

I’ve been scrambling around the yard trying to accomplish Spring cleanup. My wood pile will soon be a mile high when I cut and split the storm damaged trees, decimated by recent wind storms. The lawn is already out of control and a pair of Phoebes are relentlessly trying to build a nest over my basement door no matter how I try to discourage them. All this has nearly distracted me from my springtime ritual of foraging for the early growing season’s wild offerings. There are a good number of wild edibles growing here and some are quite tasty. Of course, there will soon be asparagus growing around the landscape. Though mostly not wild, these abandoned patches can be found near foundations of eighteenth and nineteenth century homes. But, even now, there are some choice offerings if you know where and for what to look.

Ramps are a wonderful find of the allium family with a taste similar to green onions and leeks. They are here for a few fleeting weeks and then disappear into the forest floor. Use them as you would scallions, cook them lightly or eat them raw.

Dandelions, those pesky plants that lawn purists despise, are a terrific addition to a salad with their somewhat bitterness is similar to endives. They can be cooked with garlic and olive oil and perhaps bacon for a delicious side dish. The flowers can be eaten too and many a blossom has become a homemade wine.

Garlic mustard is an invasive plant that spreads mercilessly and is difficult to control. The leaves of the young spring growth can be added to a salad offering a mild garlic flavor. And, like the dandelion, it can be cooked as your favorite greens. Just remember that, much like baby spinach, you’ll need a lot more than you think to make a few worthwhile servings.

One more is Japanese Knotweed. Another invasive that is a common along roadsides. It is a nemesis for me in my pear orchard. My revenge is to eat the young stalks, cooked quickly like asparagus - whole, chopped and sautéed. They have a mild flavor with lemon and butter.

There are others to be found now and over the following few weeks in the Southern Berkshires. An advisory note, if you are not certain about identifying any wild edible, please get assistance from someone well versed on the subject.

This salad is one picked from around my home. Don’t pick where the dog plays on your lawn or at the roadside’s edge. Wash your wild edibles well and enjoy a little thrill of finding sustenance in your own backyard. And if you really want to go wild, leave out the arugula.

A FORAGED SALAD

Ingredients:

2 ounces dandelion greens
2 ounces ramps
2 ounces garlic mustard leaves
2 ounces wild arugula (foraged at my grocers)
4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
Simple vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Method:

Look over all of the foraged greens and remove any foreign matter, yellowed leaves and insects
If any were harvested with the root intact, remove and discard, except for the ramps, just trim the roots from the bulb. Also, discard any tough stems
Wash in three changes of cold water then spin dry or drain well on a clean towel
Leave the greens whole or cut into bite sized pieces if you prefer
Place the greens in a large bowl and add in the feta cheese and pumpkin seeds
Toss the salad with however much of the vinaigrette suits your taste and then divide onto individual serving plates or a family style salad bowl and serve immediately

SIMPLE VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Method:

Place the ingredients in a small shaker bottle and shake vigorously until emulsified

This is a way to welcome the Spring season and to use some of the natural offerings found in your own back yard. If you haven’t enjoyed these wild greens, you should try them. Especially if you like your greens on the slightly bitter side.

Enjoy!