IF YOU GO INTO THE WOODS TODAY...

     ...you'll be in for a big surprise. Well that is, if you happen upon a patch of wild chanterelles. Every summer around this time, I keep my eye on a very special spot in the forest near my house because I know chanterelles grow there. If I don't get there in time, the slugs will have started eating them. It seems the mushrooms appear after a nice succession of rainy days, which we certainly had last week. This is the first year I've gathered mushrooms at what appeared to be their peak moment.

     When I still lived in the city I would buy wild chanterelles from a man at the Farmer's Market. It was always a treat to walk by his stand and see the rows of brown paper bags full of wild mushrooms. I must admit though, the thrill of finding them in the forest is even better. Anyway, my favourite way to eat chanterelles is sautéed with onions in salty butter, and served on homemade pasta. Topped with lots of cheese of course. Unfortunately, I just wasn't up for making pasta yesterday - as much as I wanted to so I could film the whole process to share with you - so I made a batch of polenta instead. I know, what a let down. That's alright, there's always next year.

LITTLE STAR LADY

Welcoming spring with open mouths.

The earth is alive, and we have been grateful recipients of her bounty this week.  First it was the dandelions, then the asparagus we've waited three years to feast upon, and today, we relished the freshness of the little star lady, Chickweed.  Stellaria media can easily be overlooked as an unwanted common garden weed.  I myself am guilty of having haphazardly ripped her from the earth in an attempt to clear my garden of unwanted visitors.  

But that was before I realized who this lovely lady was, and there is no going back now.  Oh no, Stellaria media is a definite keeper.  Not only does chickweed taste so fresh and delicious in a salad, it is one of the supreme healers of the herbal queendom.

     Stellaria media is best identified by many small, starry white flowers with five petals than appear to be ten petals.  It grows in low, dense, vibrant-green mats.  Chickweed likes to grow in cultivated/disturbed soil in open but cool environments.  The only spot is grows on my land is in my garden because it's presence indicates fertile, mineral rich soil, and around here that only exists where we've imported or created it (unfortunately).  

Luckily my generous neighbour spotted a bounty of chickweed growing in her garden and invited me over for a little harvesting.

 In the kitchen I clean and prepare chickweed much the same way I do dandelion (check out the deets on my Dandelion Harvest post).  The simplest way to serve dandelion is mixed in with your salad greens and dressed with a simple vinaigrette.  If you want to get a little fancy, use equal parts basil and chickweed in your next pesto, or add a handful to your sandwiches in place of lettuce.  Don't forget, keep your eyes peeled for chickweed when you get out there to weed your garden, and for God's sake, don't throw it out!

WEEDING

If you look closely you will see that the dandelion greens are sprouting up everywhere, including in my perennial fruit and vegetable garden.  The whole bed needs to be weeded, and what better way to begin than by harvesting the dandelion greens for supper?  Eating dandelions may seem foreign to many people, but not me.  Growing up in a Greek family means you eat wild dandelion greens every spring.  I have vivid memories of my mother and cousin foraging for dandelions when I was a child, and then serving them for dinner.  They are definitely an acquired taste, and luckily I have that.  The bitterness of the dandelion is a powerful spring tonic for your digestive system, stimulating your liver to detoxify.  Which is a really good thing after a long winter of heavy foods.

I remembered to grab my camera on my way out the door yesterday morning so I could show you how I harvest spring dandelion greens.  When you are ready to try this yourself, just be sure you pick them in clean and unpolluted areas.  That means no digging for dandelion on the side of the road!  As tempting as that may be, it is a really bad idea.  Which is too bad because dandelions love to grow on the gravelly soft shoulders of roads.

GREEK BOILED DANDELION

If you are ever driving around on a nice spring day and see a woman bent over in a field with a plastic bag in one hand and a knife in the other, odds are it's a Greek woman picking dandelions for supper.

 3 lbs young wild dandelion greens
1 Tbsp sea salt
about 2 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
the juice of about 1 organic lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:  Wash the greens well before cooking and trim any coarse stems.   Discard any brown leaves.  Soak the dandelion in a clean sink with plenty of water.  Any sand or debris will eventually sink to the bottom while the greens float on the surface of the water.  Remove the greens from the water and place in a colander to dry.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the salt.  Carefully submerge the greens in the pot and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until the thickest parts of the stems are tender.  Do not overcook.  Drain the greens well in a colander over the sink.  Really squeeze the liquid out with the back of a spoon.  Place greens in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.  Serve warm or at room temperature.