07/02/2013

Wild Mustard (Senapis Avenis)



File:Brassicaceae - Sinapis arvensis (5).JPG
wikipedia


The first edible wild greens are growing now. I bought some wild mustard (senape in Italian) at an organic farmers market just over a week ago. The farmer said that  wild mustard grows at the edges of a field. It was the first time that I've tried wild mustard. They were the first basal rossettes, but some of the leaves were quite large. In a  short while the plant will have yellow flowers.

Raw, the leaves tasted slightly peppery. I wilted them in a frying pan with olive oil, chilli pepper and garlic which had been cooked a little before. I was a little disappointed as the taste was not what I expected. It was a bit "heavy" and the peppery taste was lost to the  other flavours. It was very warming and my cheeks felt rather hot afterwards. It also felt quite heavy on my stomach.
I think it would have worked better blanched for a few minutes and served with oil, salt and lemon juice.
Posted by at
Labels:

11 comments:

  1. Hello wildcraft diva (I am sorry I missed your name?)

    In Turkey, wild mustard is also one of those edible plants that they make meze of (we have these traditional fish restaurants in which you have millions of mezzes and then in the end you finish with raki (traditional Turkish lacoholic drink) and fish. Anyway, in the western coast they blanch it (soak it in boiling water for a few seconds and then put it in cold water) and serve it with crushed garlic, extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice (just as you have suggested in your post)

    I have tried it this way (instead of blanching it I steam-cooked the plant for 1 minute in my pressure-cooker): http://www.sofravemuhabbet.com/2012/04/hardal-otu-salatasi.html

    The plant is very bitter in taste when raw, and when steam-cooked it was much milder. But still, it is quite bitter compared to other edible plants that I know (such as mallow)

    I'll let you know if I come across with a better alternative for wild mustard.

    Regards

    Ceren

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. LOL!!! That smell! Do you use shepherd's purse? sandra (I never told u before) X

      Delete

  2. ouch, we have had this conversation before (na dI have posted it in my recipe blog in English:)

    http://cerenisselee.blogspot.com/2012/04/wild-mustard-salad.html

    In our conversation there I suggested that wild mustard would taste better with onion and egg: My feeling is that it'll be tastier with onion + egg. (saute the onion in olive oil; then add the vegetable and saute some more) and then break one or two eggs on it. In Turkey we also make this yoghurt with garlic sauce and eat such stuff with it! Yoghurt with garlic makes everything so delicious :)))

    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hi Ceren, Thanks for taking the time to comment like this!!
      I'd completely forgotten about your post, but it must have been there at the back of my mind! I've pinned it this time. In fact eggs go well with strong flavour wild greens. I've found quite a lot of italian recipes recently which use eggs, oil, garlic, anchovies and capers. But next time I'll try yoghurt. I do miss your English blog X

      Delete

  3. Hey Sandra,

    Well, I developed my blog a lot recently and I mean to continue with the English blog as well but I am a bit lazy to translate. In the mean time I have posted so many stuff that I wouldnt know where to start :)) Thanks for your compliment about my blog anyway!!

    Btw, about all those edible plants, I still dont see any on the stalls in the bazaars. But I stocked up some in the deep-freeze (not directly of course; with a bit of processing). Did you know that you can keep them in the deep-freeze? If not, I can translate that part for you, if you are interested in how. It is really great method, because I love goosefoot and mallow combination especially and I found it very handy to make börek of them the whole winter!!! :))))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. That would be great! Have you thought about putting translation widgit on your site?

      Delete

    2. That's a fantastic idea Sandra, thanks! I did but I am not sure if English is in the options?! I cannot see it somehow, very strange..Anyway, I'll post in my English blog on how to keep the edible plants

      Delete

  4. ah, forgot to add: it has to be strained yoghurt!! :) (Greek yoghurt, otherwise known as?)

    ReplyDelete

  5. Hello Sandra, it is me again :)

    I just posted on an article on how to stock edible plants. Just for you! The only person who read my blog in the world!!! LOL :D

    http://cerenisselee.blogspot.com/

    Have a nice day :)

    Oh, I didnt answer your question sorry: I have heard shepherd's purse from your blog. I did a little research in my book with recipes of edible plants, haven't seen any. And a search on the Turkish web brought me to this info: obviously some people buy paste of it because it cures some health problems if you consume this paste regularly for a period of time. For instance, if a man has hormonal anomalities, fertility problems, it will help the body to cure from it. Or agains things like hemeroid etc. Problems related to bleeding (menstrual cycle and internal bleeding)

    They also dry the plant and consume it as herbal tea.

    Thats all from me now, have a nice day!!

    ReplyDelete

  7. Thanks for the compliment Sandra, I am glad if I could give any kind of inspiration :)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your feedback. Comments are gladly accepted ;)

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)