Made from scrap

Made from scrap
All's well

Followers

Total Pageviews

Saturday 5 May 2012

What's for Lunch? - 'Wild' Weeds!

(Follow the link to find out how you can enter a Competition for May with 'Herbs on Saturday'

Over at Allotment 2 Kitchen Shaheen has made a delicious looking 'Wild Weed and Potato Tortilla'.   I mentioned Wild Garlic in a post a couple of weeks ago and leaving it in situ, but I couldn't resist.  So while I was out on my 11385 steps, 4.71 miles, 5 Activity Points (walk), I had a little 'forage' along the way.  I like the word 'forage' it rhymes with porridge.  There is something incredibly primitive about foraging, the dog thought it was great fun.  I gathered some Wild Garlic, leaves and buds.

I gathered a bunch of nice young Dandelion leaves:

 A bunch of Young Nettle tips.

Youch!  Just when I was feeling smug at not stinging myself, I got about three stings on one thumb!  Gah 'Pride comes before a fall'.  I have read about the health benefits of Nettles and Dandelions, both are iron rich, blood tonics and Dandelion is a great diuretic.  It eases water retention.  My Mom used to tell me not to pick Dandelions when I was little,  as a 'folk' name for them is 'Wet the beds'!  I sure hope I don't!
            I came home with my 'rich' pickings and popped them straight in the sink for a good wash.  Now as you know I am back on a 'Healthy Regime'.  I am in week 4 of Weight Watchers, so far I have lost 9.5 lbs.  You will also know you don't get at all hungry on these diets healthy eating plans, nope, no siree, not one bit hungry!  Who is anyone trying to kid?  I was so starving I could have gnawed my own legs!  Wild weeds rinsed, then a looksey in the fridge!  Ham needed to be used, why did I buy a largish packet of ham?  Remind me not to buy ham for a while please.  I found some nice little cherry tomatoes, 30% reduced fat Cheese, which to my surprise and delight tasted great.  Usually 30% reduced anything means you have lost 30% of its niceness.  Straight to the frying pan.  2tsp of Olive oil, it's ok healthy oil is allowed.  In went the chopped ham and halved cherry tomatoes.  I shredded the Wild Garlic and Dandelion and put that in the pan, I put the nettles in as they were.  Do you seriously think I am going to try and shred nettles?   They would shred me first!

I have made Nettle Soup before and know it cooks and tastes very much like Spinach, maybe even better than spinach.  I beat three eggs from my bestest chicken buddies and added them to the pan.  I like a nice ometlette but I don't like them too eggy!  The French have soft almost runny omelettes that you fold in half and let the heat finish off cooking the egg, I don't.  Under the Grill goes my omelette, I like it cooked all the way through.  The verdict:

The Wild Garlic gave a lovely mild hint of Garlic and the buds added a nice texture too.
The Nettles were delicious.  I have made a mental not to myself to use more nettles.  I don't like nettle tea but I love the taste and texture of the leaves.  They cook very quickly too.  They were definitely worth the stings.  My sons's are both desperate to try eating nettles so I may be 'Hunter Gathering' again soon.
Dandelion, seriously who would have thought Dandelion and Cheese would be a flavour match made in heaven?  Move over Cheese and Onion, here comes Cheese and Dandelion.
Wild Weed, Ham, Cheese and Tomato Omelette:  Delicious.  If I owned a Cafe, this would be my current lunchtime 'Special'.  I would serve it with Some delicious warm, crusty bread, French Fries and Mayonnaise a Crisp Green Salad!
My plant identification skills are somewhat lacking, so my foraging skills are limited, I definitely would not forage for mushrooms or fungi, knowing my luck I would not live to tell the tale.  As a child I used to love to pick Blackberries until I discovered grubs.  We used to have family outings to gather Chestnuts, delicious toasted when you get back home.  My favourite used to be gathering Hazel Nuts I used to gather them on the way to school from about the age of five.  I would crack them with my teeth and munch them on the way.  My little eyes got well trained and I could find more nuts than anyone I knew!  Let me tell you my Mom looks ladylike, but nobody can shake a Hazel branch with the same gusto as my Mother, in the Autumn when the nuts are just ready, they rain down if the branches are shook vigorously.  I have always been a bit nutty!  I have also gathered Damsons in the past to make wine, I nearly came to a nasty end on a wet fence!  That is another story.  One year I gathered enough young Oak Leaves to make 'Oak leaf Wine'.  The recipe I have has a warning about the strength of the wine, never underestimate 'The Power of the Mighty Oak'.  My brother can add testimony to that!  Not a traditional 'Country Wine' to give the Vicar when he popped in!  I bet many a great party has been had, drinking 'Oak Leaf' wine, followed by many a stinking hangover!   I am wondering if any of you forage, if you do what do find and what do you do with it?  

28 comments:

  1. What an inspirational post - thank you for sharing your ideas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Go Daffy, see what you can find to munch on...I have been reading a blog today where the guy survived a whole month on only foraged food! I would definitely starve.

      Delete
  2. That looks delicious! I have a book about foraging and keep meaning to, however the only thing that we regularly collect is brambles in the autumn. Never tried dandelion although we have plenty and a patch of nettles in the wildlife garden.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have had 'Food for Free' by Richard Mabey since I was about 15, I have not tried many of the foods. I need to improve my identification skills.

      Delete
  3. LOL! What a LOVELY post and I LOVE your side salad (NOT crusty bread or chips with mayonnaise!!) that was served with this meal too! This is a FABULOUS entry into the New Herbs on Saturday event and I have bookmarked this recipe, as I LOVE "PissenLit" - which is the French for dandelions, and literally means "wet the bed" just as it does in English! I also LOVE nettles and wild garlic too.....LOVELY photos and a great recipe thanks! Karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love using herbs from the garden I will be following 'Herbs on Saturday' with much interest. You gotta love the French, they don't mince their words do they?

      Delete
  4. Om nom nom...wild garlic and nettles are also superb in a risotto together! I can recommend the new leaves of hawthorn too...their country name is 'bread and cheese', (I'll leave it up to you to figure out why), they are lovely in a salad :)
    Happy foraging x x x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh! That looks so yummy! Nice job on the weight loss!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, I have said it before but reading your 'Crochet Afghan on a Treadmill' was an inspiration to me...you are a genius to mix crochet and exercise. :) x

      Delete
  6. I've never done any foraging before, but I must say that omelet looks quite tasty. Maybe I need to look into foraging! It's cheaper, more organic, and healthier. Thanks for the heads up!
    ~Lacey

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I watched a TV program about 'Freegans' they only eat what they find for free, it involves balaclavas at the dead of night and raiding skips and bins...I won't be taking it that far...anyway that would not be organic!
      We do all spend a lot on food though and waste it.

      Delete
  7. No, apart from going blackberrying, I've not been foraging. My Dad used to collect mushrooms but I wouldn't trust my indentification skills. We've got a few hazel trees in the garden but the squirrels are better/earlier foragers than I am!
    The omelette looks delicious, I'm the same as you and like to finish cooking them under the grill. I could easily find some of the ingredients in the garden (nettles and dandelions!) and probably the wild garlic in the nearby wood, might just try it later in the week.
    You are doing well on your diet, as long as you can find things to eat that you really enjoy you'll succeed.
    Carol xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love Blackberry and Apple Pie, Blackberry Jam and jelly. This year I made a delicious 'Blackberry and Cinnamon' Chutney too. I was reading about Wild Garlic Pesto today, that sounds good doesn't it?

      Delete
  8. Oh love the omelette, minus the ham (of course). I'd finish it off under the grill too. Your post is so fab too, made me smile out loud. I adore nettles and want to make some nettle gnocchi, I rmember making it and thoroughly enjoying it. You still got snubbed by the nettles, oh well - our greed doesn't stop us does it :)

    I am an amateur forager too, so am learning as i go. I've learned loads in the last two years, but sill so much more.

    Thank you so much for the kind mention and link to my blog, its most appreciated - truly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This made me laugh, as I walked the dog this evening to some local woods, the nettles were too good to resist. I tried with my hands covered then got brave, assertively pinching the tips out. My fingers and thumbs are tingling right now, but you are right greed does not stop us. I had a delicious 'Nettle and Courgette Pasta with Feta Cheese', no meat there. I love your Blog everything you make looks delicious and your recipes are great. :)

      Delete
  9. I guess I need to go foraging in my yard.. we have most of that stuff growing wild around here! We had to work really hard to eradicate the nettles, though - we had a problem patch in front of the barn. They are a real problem here on the road sides. You made me hungry! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had nettles with Feta Cheese and pasta last night, twas rather tasty...got stung loads though picking them. If you can't beat em...eat em! xxx

      Delete
  10. We have a good crop of dandelions, but have not gone foraging so have missed out on the treat I remember them being in the spring when my mom went out and gathered them for dinner. Your good example inspires me to try foraging and exercising with you if laughing with your delightful commentary counts. Hmmmm how many WW points for laughing? <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have had a Dandelion and bacon sandwich, that was rather nice in the past too...I am sure we should get weight watchers points for laughing. I am following your blog but since blogger has changed I can not figure out how to add your blog to my Blog List. Frustrating, I wonder if anyone can help? :) xxx

      Delete
  11. What a great omelette, it looks so tasty! I've done a bit of foraging, and am always on the look out for more, to date I've foraged blackberries, damsons, plums, sloes, rose hips, elderflower blooms, hazelnuts, nettles, and dandelion flowers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have found lots of 'Food for Free'. Hugh Fearlessly Eatitall would be very proud of us... xxx

      Delete
  12. Wow, this looks absolutely delicious!
    I think I know what I am going to have for a little lunch later :-) There is some "wild" garlic left over in the corner of the garden, I have spotted a nettle yesterday and there will be found some dandelions at a place no doggies have peed on...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can remember you blogged about a delicious Lemon Pasta Recipe, now Lemon and Wild Garlic would be delicious together.... xxx

      Delete
  13. That looks ab fab! Haven't tried nettles, but might do now ... I pick blackberries and sloes, and used to get cobnuts as a child. Allys fowler's book, the thrifty forager is a really good book for identifying plants, and you can get it in that cheap bookstore (the name escapes me at the moment!) for a fiver instead of £17.99. Well done on your weight loss, I'm a fellow Weight Watcher ... We need to share tips! Have a fantastic weekend, love Claire xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Claire, thanks for pointing me in the direction of the book, it looks lovely. Just my sort of bedtime reading. I have the wantsies now! I am a bit up and down with this Weight Watcher Malarkey, one minute I think it is fantastic the next minute I am swearing under my breath. I am very achy today from too much exercise! It may be the 'Super Moon' though, the full moon affect us lunatics quite badly. xxx

      Delete
  14. Oh Goodness at first I was like no way, then I see the last picture and I think ok I so want that :). YUMMY

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yes Oak leaf wine... can still remember that session shared with Henry's Dad...... still see him now lying like a corpse all day on your bed Luce at Mom and Dad's. The wine went down well but blimey my head felt like I'd been kicked by a mule. Cheers! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still have the recipe should anyone require it! It clearly states "Be careful not to overindulge as it's reputation for 'Leg Buckling' is renowned." Probably the warning is what made me make it! ;) xxx

      Delete

I appreciate and enjoy reading all of the feedback from your comments. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and sharing your thoughts. Sadly I have found it necessary to enable word verification, something I was trying to avoid...but I am receiving an unmanageable deluge of Spam! We don't want that do we? xxx :)