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Wild salad
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Wild salad

by Berit

I have always loved this time of year when everything bursts and pops, and comes alive after a long hibernation. The birds are chirping, and even the seagulls frenetic screams are welcome, albeit only for a wee while. As I wrote in «about me», I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded with the forest and the sea. Us kids were high and low. We explored areas we were allowed to, and areas we were not allowed to. One of the areas we were not allowed, was a small quarry called the «Goats Hill» which literally was on our door step in my pre school years. If the name existed before it was used as a quarry remains unbeknownst to me, but it certainly was appropriate when us kids were roaming and climbing the face of the cliff like little baby goats. The surrounding area was woodland, and we would pick and eat wild sorrel and other plants in play recess. It`s an exaggeration to call this foraging, but the plant curiosity was definitely there.

Foraging 

You can forage for different plants, or different parts of the plant, depending on the time of the year. I live in Northern Europe, so which plants grows in your area will vary greatly depending on where in the world you live. Always check with people in the know which are edible, and which are poisonous. Generally, plant parts to be eaten fresh are best picked when young in spring and early summer. The most favorable time of day to go foraging is in the morning. Do not pick close to roads or where it may have been sprayed with chemicals. A phone call to the local council should clarify which public places has been sprayed. You also need to consider that others might want to have a pick too, and leave some for them as well as making sure the plants dont go extinct. Foraging is a good way to exercise your brain as it has to scan and learn something new. The rest of your body also benefits from the activity, and the lungs get fresh air. Bring your family out on new adventures, and reap the fruits of your labor by making a yummy meal together afterwards. In addition, it`s sustainable to forage rather than to buy. It`s a win-win-win!      

The salad

I prefer to use few ingredients when cooking, so that each of them get to sing loud and proud. In this salad I’ve used lady’s mantle, leaves and bloom of wild sorrel, and leaves of dandelion. Wild plants often have a lot of flavor, so a little goes a long way, and it`s best used as a supplement to a neutral and more filling lettuce. I generally use little gem lettuce due to it`s high nutritional value.   There’s lot going on in this salad, and so a drizzle of a good olive oil was all I used to dress it. Enjoy as a side salad, or add any veggies or protein of choice for more substance.    

Lady´s mantle

Lady´s mantle

The family name Alchemilla refers to Alchemia and the many Medieval attempts to transform base metal to gold with the help of the water droplets collected on the leaves. These droplets may look like dew drops, but are often water that the plant itself secrets from the serrated edges. The alchemists believed the the droplets to have a magical and mystical power, which in addition to being the base substance in the production of gold, also harnessed the power to regain youth. It is a part of the rose family and found all over Norway as different species, as well as in Europe, North-America and Asia. Lady`s mantle is a «women’s herb» and the old herbal doctors recognized the power of Venus in this herb. In England it got the nick-name «a woman best friend». Frøya, the viking goddess of love and fertility was it`s protector, and in christian times it is Maid Mary. The herb is beneficial to skin and digestion. Due to it`s uterus stimulating effects it is not recommended ingested in early pregnancy. Information taken from rolv.no 

 

Wild Sorrel 

Wild sorrel

Sorrel has a fresh and acidic flavor. It contains oxalic acid, which is a strong dicarboxylic acid. It occurs as a natural end product of metabolism in a number of plant and in humans, but may cause problems when taken in food. When consumed it can cause stone formation in the urinary tract when the acid is excreted in the urine, according to PubMed. If you soak and cook foodstuffs high in oxalate it will reduce the oxalate content by leaching. Tea, rhubarb, spinach, and beets are common high oxalate-content foods. Oxalates bind calcium and other minerals, and due to this, vegetarians who consume greater amounts of vegetables might have reduced calcium availability. Women, whome require greater amounts of calcium in the diet, might therefore be at risk. A diet low in calcium and high in oxalates is not recommended. The occasional consumption of high oxalate foods as a part of a varied and nutritious diet does not pose any particular problem. Read more ncbi.nlm.nih.gov A lot of us have consumed the aforementioned foods and are ok, but it`s always good to be aware. Maybe our foremothers intuitively knew this, and therefore served us warm rhubarb porridge with cream?

Dandelion 

Dandelion

Dandelion leaves have a bitter flavor like lady’s mantle, but I don’t really mind it. Use the young leaves, as the older are too bitter to enjoy. Dandelion leaves are highly diuretic, hence the French name pissenlit (wee-in-the bed), but the high content of vitamins and and minerals makes for a valuable strenghtening tonic. The leaves contain vitamin A, B, C and D as well as potassium, iron and other minerals. From the Home Apothecary by Jessica Houdret.

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Duqqa
CondimentsSides

Duqqa

by Berit

I was introduce to this deliciousness at a market in Australia some 18 years ago, and in that instant my Middle-Eastern cuisine palate was thoroughly awoken. For a Northerner, whose then, genetic palate wasn’t accustomed to many other spices than salt and pepper, this was a huge food experience. They really do master the art of cramming as much flavor into, and get out of, their food. Duqqa origins from Egypt, and is a flavor bomb made from nuts, seeds and herbs. This is the recipe I got my hands on back in the day, and it has been in my gastronomic «impression repertoire» ever since. It may be enjoyed with a clear conscious accompanied with good oil and bread; as an appetizer or just as a healthy snack.

Duqqa

I was introduce to this deliciousness at a market in Australia some 18 years ago, and in that instant my Middle-Eastern cuisine palate was thoroughly awoken. For a Northerner, whose… Print this
Serves: 4
Nutrition facts 200 Calories 20 grams Fat
Rating 5.0/5
( 1 Voted )

INGREDIENTS

  • 30 g. Hazel nuts, de-shelled
  • 30 g. Pistachio nuts, de-shelled. (If using salted, reduce added salt).
  • 4 tbs. Sesame seeds, unhulled
  • 2 tbs. Coriander seeds
  • 2 tbs. Cumin seeds
  • 2 teasp. Sunflower seeds
  • 1 teasp. Fennel seeds
  • 1 teasp. Black pepper corns, whole
  • 2 teasp. Thyme, dried
  • 1/2-1 teasp. Salt

INTRUCTIONS

Roast the nuts on a medium heat in a dry frying pan, preferably cast iron or stainless steel,  starting with the hazel nuts. Give the frying pan a little shake to turn the nuts until they get a golden hue. You won’t be able to get all sides of the nuts golden, but thats ok. Some of the brown outer shell will loosen from the nut and partly come off. Put the nuts on a plate to cool, then put them in a clean tea towel and rub off the loose skins. There will be a bit that remains on the nut, and thats fine. Wipe off the pan with a dry cloth to remove the remains of the hazel nut shells, then roast the pistachios.

Roast the seeds separately as they vary in size and fat content, and so the cooking time will differ. Start off with the sesame seeds.They are high in fat, so stirr along the way to ensure they don’t burn. They’re done when they start to pop. Roast the remaining seeds, which are done when the aromas are released. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

Roast the peppercorns and let cool on a plate. The thyme and salt won’t need to be roasted.

When all is cooled completely, mix and grind to a coarse powder. I recommend smashing the seeds and peppercorns in a mortar, and chop the nuts with a herb cutter. You can use a hand held blender, but I find it grinds it too finely.

Transfer to an air tight container and store in a cool dry place to prevent the fats going rancid.

Serve with good olive oil and some yummy bread. Tear off a piece of bread and dip it in oil, then in the Duqqa mix. Enjoy as an appetizer or just as a treat with your drink of choice. I do quite like a glass of wine with mine!

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Tabbouleh
Sides

Tabbouleh

by Berit


This salad origins from the Middle- East and is usually made with bulgur wheat. I don’t eat gluten myself, so I make it with quinoa, which is a type of seed from South- America. Quinoa does not create toxin producing spores after cooking, such as rice and pasta does, and it is safe to make a bigger batch to keep in the fridge for a variety of dishes throughout the week. I will share more yummy recipes with quinoa in later posts. It  has a high protein content, and is regarded equal to milk by The Worlds Health Organization. For a more sustainable version you can make it with barley or pearl barley, all depending where you live in the world. Barley has the same firm texture as bulgur.

This salad can be enjoyed on its own, or as a side dish to almost anything really. It goes really well with yummy barbecue. This recipe is for a side dish. I make the quinoa the day before or a few hours before use, so that it easily fluffs through the salad.

Tabbouleh

This salad origins from the Middle- East and is usually made with bulgur wheat. I don’t eat gluten myself, so I make it with quinoa, which is a type of… Print this
Prep Time:
Nutrition facts 200 Calories 20 grams Fat
Rating 5.0/5
( 1 Voted )

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 dl. quinoa
  • 1/2 continental cucumber
  • 2 spring onions or 1/2 yellow onion
  • 3 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley
  • 1-2 sprigs fresh mint
  • small pinch of salt. NB! there´s salt in the dressing too, so make your own judgement
  • Dressing:
  • 1 clove of garlic, smashed
  • 1 dl. good olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. lemon juice
  • small pinch of flake salt

INTRUCTIONS

Salad:

Rinse the quinoa under hot water to remove the bitterness, and boil in fresh water as instructed on the packet. Let cool before you add to the salad to make sure it doesn’t stick. Rinse and cut veggies as you wish. We eat with our eyes first, and so I like it all to look nice and appetizing when it reaches there plate. I cut the cucumber into medium sticks, the spring onion in diagonal thin slices and the tomatoes halved. Rinse the herbs in cold water, and pat dry with a tea towel. Roll them    around their axis, and cut with a sharp knife to create nice ribbons. Cut the stalks finely. Mix all together, and crush the flaked salt in the palm of your hand before scattering over the salad and turn with a spoon.

If the herbs has gone limp, simply puttee in cold water in the fridge for a while and they will crisp up.

Dressing: 

Put everything in a small glass with a lid and shake. Taste and adjust flavor accordingly. If too tart or oily, you can add a little cold water. It´s good to give the dressing a little shake before pouring it on the salad. I only put some of it on the salad just before serving, and leave it up to my guests to add more if desired.

 

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