After months and months of waiting, spring seems to spring into action all at once and before you know it, summer has arrived. That’s why it’s so important to take advantage of the abundance of delicious and nutritious wild spring edibles before they’re gone. Below you will find a list of four of my favorites and how to best use them in the kitchen. Enjoy!
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Everyone knows the cheerful sight of sunny dandelion flowers scattered across a lawn and because they occur as weeds, they are incredibly easy to find in abundance. The whole plant is edible, but in spring I especially like to use the leaves and flowers, both of which are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin A, which is essential for immune health.
How to use: The leaves are quite bitter and become increasingly bitter as the plant flowers. So it is best to pick them from plants that have yet to bloom. In salads it is best to mix the leaves with other vegetables, as they can be quite intense on their own. They are also delicious steamed or lightly boiled and then brushed with butter or olive oil, lemon juice and salt. The petals can be sprinkled over salads or soups and the whole flower is delicious when coated in a light batter and fried to make sweet or savory fritters, which may be my favorite way to eat them.
Violet (Viola spp.)
There are several varieties of violets growing in the woods at this time of year (Canada violet, wood violet and western mountain violet to name a few) and they are all edible, although some are tastier than others. They are a great source of vitamins (including vitamins A and C), as well as soluble fiber and rutin.
How to use: Both the leaves and flowers are edible and make a delicious addition to salads. The leaves can be added to soups, where they act as a natural thickener due to their high mucilage content. The flowers make beautiful decorations for cakes and platters and can be frozen into ice cubes for luxury drinks. Violet syrup is another fun way to capture the subtle flavor by steeping the flowers in water overnight and then boiling the resulting infusion down into a syrup with the addition of sugar. Combine this with sparkling water for a refreshing spring drink.
Nettle (Urtica dioica)
You won’t soon forget the nettle if you pick it without gloves, but despite its prickliness and infamous sting, it is one of the most delicious and nutritious wild spring vegetables and worth every sting it causes. The leaves and tender shoots are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and are extremely tasty.
How to use: The first spring shoots and tender leaves are best to eat because the plant becomes more fibrous as it ages and approaches flowering. Heat denatures the stinging hairs, so boiling is highly recommended. They can be steamed, boiled or baked and are a good friend of a little butter or olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. I like to add them to soups and stews, pies or omelettes, and find that they seem to go especially well with eggs. The leaves can also be steeped to make a nutrient-rich tea that is delicious with a little mint and fresh lemon.
Driveway (Allium tricoccum)
The location and pungent aroma of the escarpment’s broad, leathery green leaves are one of the first signs of growth in the forests after the snow retreats. The leaves, bulbs and flowers are all edible, although I usually prefer using the leaves as they are much easier to harvest and I find the bulbs a bit too tart for my personal taste.
How to use: The first tender leaves can be chopped and eaten in salads, but after that a little heat is usually needed to soften the intense garlic flavor and prevent indigestion. The leaves and bulbs can be fried and added to stir-fries, mixed into mashed potatoes, used in pies or as a delicious topping for pizza. Both are also great added to soups or mixed with other vegetables such as spinach to make a strong-flavored pesto. I prefer them cooked or raw, but some people like their intense spiciness.
Writer Danielle Charles Davies has a BSc in Herbal Sciences from Bastyr University and completed the two-year clinical training program at the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism in Montpelier, VT. Her articles have appeared in Taproot, The Journal of the American Herbalist Guild, and Kindred Magazine, among others. She lives in Northern Michigan with her husband, two dogs and eight ducks. She blogs at www.bluemoonkitchen.com.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or to sell any product.
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