require some patience for the payoff, yet many wild edibles can be eaten raw or lightly sautéed, requiring very little prep work. Tayer recommends sautéing wild greens with just a little soy sauce, vinegar and garlic. Foraging builds confidence, pow-


ers of observation and connections to the natural world. Te biggest benefit, says Tayer, may just be the fun of it. “You can experience food and flavors you cannot have any other way. A lot of these foods you cannot buy anywhere, and really, it’s better food than you can buy.”


Connect with Washington, D.C. freelance writer April Tompson at AprilWrites.com.


Beginner’s Tips From Master Foragers


D


on’t try to learn foraging; just try to learn about one vegetable or fruit,


says Sam Tayer. “Take it one plant at a time. It takes the intimidation out of it.” Find a good local instructor that has


a solid background in botany and other fundamentals of foraging, says John Kallas. “Also, get some good books, and more than one, as each will offer different di- mensions,” says the author and instructor. Conquer the fear of Latin and learn


the scientific names of plants, suggests Leda Meredith. As there may be several plants with the same common name, or one plant with many common names, knowing scientific names will help clear up potential confusion in identifying them. You don’t have to go far to find


food, says Deane Jordan. “In reality, there is oſten a greater selection around your neighborhood than in state parks. In suburbia, you find native species, the edible weeds that come with agriculture, and also edible ornamentals.” Bring the kids: Tey make fabulous


foragers, says Meredith. “Tey learn superfast and it’s a way to pass cultural knowledge along and instill that food doesn’t come from a garden or a farm, but from photosynthesis and the Earth and the sun.”


Buttered Cattail Shoots With Peas and Mint


Yields: 4 servings


Tis is a riff on the traditional English springtime dish of lettuce wilted in butter with peas and mint. Te pleasingly mild flavor of the cattail shoots stands in for the lettuce. Stick with just the whitest parts of the shoots for pure tenderness or include some of the pale green bits if you want a sturdier dish.


2 Tbsp unsalted butter 3 cups cattail shoots, chopped ½ cup water 1 cup fresh or frozen shelled peas (if frozen, defrost them first)


2 Tbsp fresh mint, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the cattail shoots and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring oſten, until the cattail shoots are tender and most of the water has evaporated.


Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring.


Remove from the heat and stir in the mint with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve warm.


August 2019 31


Simply Wild: Forage Recipes


Garlic Mustard Pesto on Crisp-Creamy Polenta


Yields: 4 servings


Leda Meredith, author of Te Forager’s Feast: How to Identify, Gather, and Prepare Wild Edibles, says, “Wild food aficionados may roll their eyes when they see that I’m including this recipe because pesto is used as the go-to recipe for this plant so oſten that it’s become a cliché. But there’s a rea- son for that: it’s really, really good.


“You can toss garlic mustard pesto with pasta, of course, but a spoonful added to soup just before serving is also wonderful, as is a smear of it on focaccia or toast. My favorite way to enjoy garlic mustard pesto is on pan-fried polenta that is crispy on the outside and creamy within.”


2 cups fresh garlic mustard leaves and tender stems


3 Tbsp walnuts or pine nuts, chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced (wild or cultivated) ¼ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided


2 Tbsp butter 8 slices (½-inch-thick) cooked polenta


Put the garlic mustard leaves, nuts and garlic into the blender or food processor. Pulse until the leaves are chopped.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48