Spring Greens Have Arrived!

There is a dearth of greens in Tennessee usually between the second week of January through the end of February. It is what I consider our hard winter. So when the temperature begins to warm a bit and buttercups start blooming, I get excited about spring greens. I can imagine that settlers would look upon this time in relief as fresh crunchy food was probably lacking in their winter diets.

The greens most found right now include chickweed, garlic/onion chives, young dock, dandelions, pennycress and purple dead nettle.

Young Dock

Pennycress

Purple Dead Nettle

Chickweed

The beginning of turkey bone and spring green broth.

Pictured is the beginning of turkey bone and wild spring vegetable broth for canning. Greens picked today include chickweed, dandelion, dock, garlic chives, purple dead nettle and pennycress.

Purple Dead Nettle Soup!

Early Purple Dead Nettle

One of the first early spring edibles is Purple Dead Nettle, Lamium purpureum, in the Lamiaceae family (mint).  You can use it in salads or as a spring vegetable.  However, it does have tiny hairs on the surface which gives it a texture problem for many.  One way to use it that removes that issue is in a pureed soup.  You can have the many nutritional benefits (high in iron, vitamins and fiber as well as having antimicrobial and antifungal properties) and still enjoy the meal!

Purple Dead Nettle Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh purple dead nettle leaves and flowers
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 cups milk
salt and pepper
fresh parsley to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Parboil dead nettle in lightly salted water for 5 minutes.  Strain.

Meanwhile, add butter to pan and fry onions until translucent (not browned), about five minutes.  Add flour and mix until combined.  Add milk and stir until smooth.  Simmer five minutes.

Add strained nettle to food processor or blender.  Blend until pureed.  Combine with milk mixture. Stir and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

Great served with grilled cheese sandwiches!

What's Growing in January in Tennessee?

Several days ago I took a walk in one of my favorite parks, Harlinsdale, to see what is growing in one of the coldest months of the year for Tennessee.  I found thriving watercress, field pennycress, wild mustard, motherwort, chickweed, wild garlic, clover, dead nettle, ground ivy and plantain.  Here are some of the photos!

Field pennycress, tastes mildly spicy with a hint of garlic. It is really starting to come in season.

English plantain, can be eaten as a green or made into a wonderful salve for the skin.

White avens, Geum canadense, in the rose family.  The roots have been used as a chocolate substitute and for flavoring beer.  It has also been used in Indian medicine for digestive disorders. 

Wild garlic, can be used like you would use chives.

Young purple dead nettle, member of the mint family though it is not minty.

Chickweed

More wild garlic, one of my favorite spring edibles!  It's popping up everywhere.

Wild mustard, starting to sprout out!  It's spicy eaten raw but mild when cooked.

Ground ivy, in the mint family and makes a great herb.  It's flavor is a cross between sage and rosemary. 

Spring Foraging in Franklin!

All these lovely plants were found in out local parks in Franklin, TN!  My dehydrator has been running full blast for the last week.  Many of these greens are fantastic as additions to soups, sauces and smoothies.

Geum canadense, White avens, in the rose family.  The roots have been used as a chocolate substitute and for flavoring beer.  It has also been used in Indian medicine for digestive disorders. 

Cleavers, can be eaten raw but is most frequently used in herbal medicine.  It tastes fresh and pleasant, but the texture is not so great.

Early Field Pennycress, the leaves are nice in a salad, very peppery.  The seeds have been used to flavor an ethnic dish, Lithuanian Skilandis. It is a small plant, at least here in Middle Tennessee.

Chickweed, one of my favorites!  Great in salads and pestos. 

Wild Garlic.  This has been on my family's plate for the last month!  It is fantastic in sausage soup and on baked chicken.

Early English Plantain, great used as greens and in herbal medicine.

Thistle - yes it is edible!  However you need scissors and thick gloves.  It's a lot of work for a small amount, but if you are ever starving, it is great to know it is edible and actually tasty.  The center portion of the leaf is what you want.

Wild Mustard, can be used in salads and as cooked greens. It's very tasty and one of the first plants to show up.

Wild Mustard, a little further along in growth.

Motherwort, makes a great tea and is very relaxing.

Purple Dead Nettle, this is everywhere.  You can eat it raw but it has an unpleasant fuzzy texture.  You will want to cook it in a recipe instead.  A similar plant also growing now is Henbit and is tastier.

Purple Dead Nettle

Clover, edible but the flower tastes better!

Watercress, a favorite. It is growing like crazy right now.  The good thing is that the weeds surrounding it are still dead so it is easy to access.  Watercress dies down as the weather gets hot and the weeds grow too tall to get around.  Collect while you can!  Great dehydrated!  It comes back in the fall but is too weedy.

Preparing Motherwort for dehydrating!  Once dehydrated, mix with dehydrated mint for a wonderful tea.