Yard Larder: Sheep Sorrel
When I first moved into my house, I noticed this weed running rampant. I pulled up some…it’s a root propagator, “some” is a relative term…and brought it to my local greenhouse for i.d. The i.d. was followed up with advice on how to manage this weed. Since the management tool was chemical, I did a search to find alternatives.
Well, the best alternatives are to a) pull it up when it shows up, and b) eat it! Sheep sorrel leaves are really a nice part of a fresh greens salad. It has a sour, lemony flavor and is just good. I have a LOT of it in my yard, so I exercise both options. Sheep sorrel does not become bitter with age, so can be harvested all summer.
Besides being a nice sour green to add to a salad, sheep sorrel is great in soups, as a flavor boost to grains, in a pesto form, and just for muching. The tartness is sheep sorrel is caused by oxalic acid, which is something humans should consume in moderation. If you add sheep sorrel to your diet, do so in moderation, but enjoy nonetheless!
Photo credit: cuttlefish
Yard Larder: Dandelion Flower
Where I live, in rural Maine, the dandelion is not viewed as a yard intruder. We don’t mind wildflowers popping up in our yards. I shouldn’t speak for everyone, I guess, but I certainly don’t mind. I think they’re pretty, and thanks to a friend, see the flowers as a tasty appetizer, too.
Eat dandelion flowers? You bet! Dandelion flowers are the basis for dandelion wine. For a side dish, here’s a recipe for Dandelion Mushrooms that will surprise you with it’s flavor, which is reminiscent of friend mushrooms. This is the basic recipe. Use your kitchen creativity to spice it up how you like.
Dandelion “Mushrooms”
15 dandelion flowers, rinsed in water, but still slightly moist
1/2 cup flour or cornmeal
Enough butter or oil to fry
The previous three ingredients are really all that’s needed for this treat, but if you’d like a battered version, here are those ingredients.
1 egg
1/4-1/3 cup milk (depending on how full you like batter)
1/2 cup flour
Heat the butter/oil in a heavy frying pan.
Dredge the moist flowers in flour, or dip in batter to cover.
Fry quickly, turning to brown all sides.
These are best hot, but are good no matter what. I add salt and pepper at least, sometimes cajun spice or cayenne pepper. Flex your creative muscles.
Photo credit: ugod
Yard Larder: Crabapple Sauce
Crabapples and rhubarb have much in common in that eating them in their natural state will cause the eater to pull a face that is memorable to those who see it. They are sour, tart, pick your adjective. It takes sweetening to bring out the true flavor of crabapples.
My favorite way to eat crabapples is in a sauce form. There are only two ingredients required… crabapple pulp and sugar. It is a little work intensive, but the flavor is the payoff. The resultant applesauce is a lovely rose color and is a nice alternative to traditional applesauce.
I’ve seen proportions vary of pulp to sugar. I look at 5-1 pulp to sugar, e.g. 5 cups of crabapple pulp to 1 cup of sugar.
Creating the pulp can be done two ways, both of which start with cooking the crabapples. Halve and remove stems from crabapples. Place in a pot adequate in size to hold them. Add enough water just to cover the apples. Bring to a boil and simmer until apples are tender.
Here is where philosophies split.
1. Run the apples through a food mill to remove seeds and skins.
2. Separate the juice from the apples by hanging them in cheesecloth until they stop dripping. Run the stuff left in the cheesecloth (pomace) through the food mill. Reconstitute the apple pulp by adding 1/2 cup of water for every 2 cups of processed pulp. This is the method I use, because I use the crabapple juice as pectin or for jelly in its own right. Also, I find the reconstituted pulp has less tanins to pucker the tongue. Just one woman’s opinion.
For either method, put the pulp back into the pot, add sugar, and bring the mixture to a boil. Fill sterilized pint jars leaving 1/2 in headspace. Seal. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Or, applesauce may be put into freezer container and frozen. Or, applesauce may be consumed immediately!
Canned crabapple sauce makes an excellent and unique offering for holiday or hostess giving, too.
Photo credit: dendroica
Yard Larder: Dandelion Greens
Many people have a love/hate relationship with dandelions. Some of us consider them wildflowers; others, a weed. I’m in the former category. I like to look at them…and I like to eat them! As far as nutrition is concerned, dandelion greens rate pretty high with respectable daily percentage values of iron and calcium, and off-the-chart values for Vitamins A and K. Read more
Recipe: Cabbage – Ramen Salad (Asian Cole Slaw)
Flickr Photo Credit: Soylentgreen23
One of my fellow teachers on Guam used to make this recipe for all of our large BBQ / pot luck gatherings. Before I left, I asked her for the directions so I could add it to my list of cabbage recipes. I’ve taken it to a bunch of gatherings myself, as well as used it as a staple summer recipe in our home. It gets rave reviews and is very inexpensive to make. Read more
