- MENU
- HOME
- SEARCH
- WORLD
- MAIN
- AFRICA
- ASIA
- BALKANS
- EUROPE
- LATIN AMERICA
- MIDDLE EAST
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Benelux
- Brazil
- Canada
- China
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Korea
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Poland
- Russia
- South Africa
- Spain
- Taiwan
- Turkey
- USA
- BUSINESS
- WEALTH
- STOCKS
- TECH
- HEALTH
- LIFESTYLE
- ENTERTAINMENT
- SPORTS
- RSS
- iHaveNet.com: Recipes
by Lori Zanteson
A Guide to Fruitful Foraging
Gone are the days when a short walk could reveal a wild harvest of earthy mushrooms, plump raspberries or aromatic sage. Or are they? Foraging for wild food is back, and it's trending high. Though most of us no longer forage for survival, nature's wild pantry of nutrient-rich plants has spiked a curiosity and adventure that's inspiring top chefs and home cooks alike.
Wild, edible foods are all around us, from rural foothills to urban neighborhoods. Yet to the untrained eye, they go unnoticed, hidden in the trees, shrubs and plants that blend into the everyday background. A local expert, guidebook or community college course is a necessary resource for a foraging quest, providing advice, tips and safety on the specific plants in your area. Once you know what to look for, the scenery suddenly comes into focus, detailed in a bountiful wild harvest.
Foraging know-how
An ideal way to blend several enjoyable pastimes -- connecting with the outdoors, hiking and gardening -- foraging demands a bit of precaution and know-how before you set out.
1. Begin with familiar, easily identified foods. Only eat them if you are absolutely certain they are safe.
2. Have a mentor or plant identification guidebook (or two to cross reference) to determine which plant parts are edible, and to rule out look-alike plants that may not be safe.
3. Forage on public land, and only on private land with permission.
4. Don't forage in toxic areas, such as along city streets tainted with car exhaust or near streams with an unknown water source.
5. Harvest only healthy looking plants, steering clear of disease, pests, pesticides, herbicides or pollution. Take only as much as you plan to use.
The world of wild foods is as vast as one's desire to seek them out. And there's no better example of a green, local and sustainable way of eating. From discovery to harvest to learning to prepare and enjoy them, wild foods are guaranteed adventure.
Wild Food Foraging Guide
Dandelions
What's edible: Everything, root to flower
How to enjoy
Add raw, young leaves to salads, garnish with sweet flowers or boil leaves and eat as greens.
Cattails
What's edible: Roots and shoots
How to enjoy
Boil or roast peeled, chopped roots, use inner shoots in stir-fries or a vegetable sauté.
Nasturtiums
What's edible: Flowers and leaves
How to enjoy
Garnish salads, sides with peppery petals, puree leaves with nuts and oil for pesto.
Raspberries
What's edible: Bright red fruit
How to enjoy
Eat out of hand, on yogurt or in a smoothie.
Sage
What's edible: Leaves
How to enjoy
Flavor pastas, soups, vegetables or rice dishes, or use dried leaves to make tea.
Pine nuts (pine cone seeds)
What's edible: Nuts, shelled
How to enjoy
They are a classic ingredient in pesto. Also toast them and add to salads, vegetable sides, pilafs and even pizza.
Mustard
What's edible: Seeds, roots, leaves and flowers
How to enjoy
Blanch or boil leaves and use just like spinach; mix ground seeds with vinegar to make a mustard condiment; flavor oils with flowers.
Available at Amazon.com:
Foraging for wild food, Foraging
FOOD, DRINK & RECIPES [...]
APPETIZERS | SOUPS | PASTA | SALADS | MAIN COURSES | SEAFOOD | CHICKEN | PORK | LAMB | BEEF / VEAL | VEGETARIAN | SIDE DISHES | DESSERT | HEALTHY | WOLFGANG PUCK
Foraging for Food - A Guide to Fruitful Foraging
World-renowned chefs with an extraordinary passion for food share their passion on iHaveNet.com. These chefs make great cooking easier than imagined. Each gourmet recipe features expert advice and an easy-to-make recipe. Exactly what you need to transform your home cooking from acceptable to delectable
Article: Copyright © Tribune Content Agency