As much as I complain about being away from my beloved Montana for a few years, I do have to say that California has a coupla' really good things going for it.
Take for example 'early spring'. In Montana, everything would still be under a blanket of snow. And February always seems to get those 2 weeks of 40 degrees below zero.
But here, in California, the beginning of February brings pussy willows, emerging buds and leaves, chickweed, mallows...and the glorious sun. Granted, there's no strength in the sunshine yet, the grass still doesn't hold a lot of nurients for the horses, but still! That's sunshine that's warming my back. (I've been accused of being part lizard, sunning myself on a rock.)
Another plant that's showing her green skirt is Rumex crispus, dock.
Dock leaves have a taste reminiscent of rhubarb. I'm a rhubarb lover and I just can't get past the idea of this being a 'rhubarb' pie. I keep wrinkling my nose and thinking 'this is not rhubarb...'. But if I think of it as 'dock pie', I like it much better. Especially with a big scoop of ice cream. Keep in mind, dock is one of those plants to eat in moderation because of oxalates.
Mock Rhubarb Pie
4.5 cups firmly packed dock leaves and stems
1/8 cup flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 dash of lemon juice
unbaked pie shell and top crust.
Chope dock into 1" pieces and add just enough water to cover. Steam untill leaves wilt. (You should have about 2.5 cups of cooked dock.) Drain and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well. Pour into shell, cover with top crust and bake at 375 f for about 50 min.
Showing posts with label Chickweed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chickweed. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Chick-Chick-Chickweed
After spending so many years living in Montana, becoming a semi-exile in California has been painful in many ways. The traffic, the crime, the air quality, combined with the last two weeks of interminable fog has me thinking that shoveling a bit of snow wasn't so bad.
OK, let's not take this bit of homesickness too far.
However, one of the things that I have become quite fond of is the opportunity to gather spring greens almost year round here. While many in my family are eating canned vegetables, I'm out picking wild green things. Granted, home canned vegggies are no comparison to those cans you get at the grocery store...but still, they're just not fresh. They don't have the same texture, the same smell and certainly not the same taste.
Today, I had a bit of cabin fever and was rattling about in the woods that are just outside my door. I came across a beautiful chickweed bed (Stellaria media), soft and bright green, inviting me to sit for awhile. It's not blooming quite yet, but the growth was luxuriant and perfect for greens.
It also makes a lovely spring tonic, a fabulous treatment for conjunctivitis (although I still prefer chamomile) and has a number of anti-inflammatory properties. Some folks say it makes a good bug repellent, but I've not had much success with that. Oh, and my 'keets love it.
I am not partial to any sort of 'boiled green'. I think it's a texture thing. So I'll almost always use greens in a baked dish, or hidden in some other way to disguise the soft texture. Chickweed is a powerhouse of vitamins but the levels (and flavor) drop drastically when dried. Chickweed is one of those herbs to use and enjoy fresh.
I also use chickweed in several salves. Two of the compounds found in it are Genistein and Gamma-linolenic-acid. Genistein works as an antioxident to help counteract the effects of free radicals in tissues. It also protects against pro-inflammatory factor-induced vascular endothelial barrier dysfunction and inhibits leukocyte-endothelium interaction, thereby modulating vascular inflammation. GLA is also has anti-inflammatory properties lacking some of the common side of other anti-inflammatories. Are your eyes glazed over yet? Just remember that it's a cooling soothing herb, good for sore muscles and itchy skin.
Many of my friends are hesitant to try wild foods. This dish usually surprises them. Every one makes their own version of chickweed pesto, but here's mine.
CHICKWEED PESTO
In a blender or food processer, blend to a smooth paste: 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of pine nuts, walnuts or whatever nut you like, 2 packed cups fresh chickweed, 1 cup basil (optional) 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and salt to taste. Serve over hot pasta or your favorite startchy 'stuff'.
Easy-peasey.
OK, let's not take this bit of homesickness too far.
However, one of the things that I have become quite fond of is the opportunity to gather spring greens almost year round here. While many in my family are eating canned vegetables, I'm out picking wild green things. Granted, home canned vegggies are no comparison to those cans you get at the grocery store...but still, they're just not fresh. They don't have the same texture, the same smell and certainly not the same taste.
Today, I had a bit of cabin fever and was rattling about in the woods that are just outside my door. I came across a beautiful chickweed bed (Stellaria media), soft and bright green, inviting me to sit for awhile. It's not blooming quite yet, but the growth was luxuriant and perfect for greens.
It also makes a lovely spring tonic, a fabulous treatment for conjunctivitis (although I still prefer chamomile) and has a number of anti-inflammatory properties. Some folks say it makes a good bug repellent, but I've not had much success with that. Oh, and my 'keets love it.
I am not partial to any sort of 'boiled green'. I think it's a texture thing. So I'll almost always use greens in a baked dish, or hidden in some other way to disguise the soft texture. Chickweed is a powerhouse of vitamins but the levels (and flavor) drop drastically when dried. Chickweed is one of those herbs to use and enjoy fresh.
I also use chickweed in several salves. Two of the compounds found in it are Genistein and Gamma-linolenic-acid. Genistein works as an antioxident to help counteract the effects of free radicals in tissues. It also protects against pro-inflammatory factor-induced vascular endothelial barrier dysfunction and inhibits leukocyte-endothelium interaction, thereby modulating vascular inflammation. GLA is also has anti-inflammatory properties lacking some of the common side of other anti-inflammatories. Are your eyes glazed over yet? Just remember that it's a cooling soothing herb, good for sore muscles and itchy skin.
Many of my friends are hesitant to try wild foods. This dish usually surprises them. Every one makes their own version of chickweed pesto, but here's mine.
CHICKWEED PESTO
In a blender or food processer, blend to a smooth paste: 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of pine nuts, walnuts or whatever nut you like, 2 packed cups fresh chickweed, 1 cup basil (optional) 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese and salt to taste. Serve over hot pasta or your favorite startchy 'stuff'.
Easy-peasey.
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