I’ve been on tour teaching foraging courses in Edinburgh and York, and return to Devon knackered. I don’t feel like spending hours in my friend’s kitchen. I live nowhere, even if that is hard for folk to get their head around in this modern world.
As a result I quickly rustle up a nourishing rice dish made from Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria), Wood Avens also known as Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) and Three Cornered Leek (Allium triquetrum).
“Robin this tastes as though I am eating meat, is there any in here?” my friend says accusingly.
“No, its the texture of the Wood Avens and the nutrient density of the other wild edible plants, that on average are two times more nourishing than the monoculture greens you buy in a supermarket or grocers. How do you find it?” I ask.
“Spicy and coconutty with a well, wild green taste, lucky you didn’t add any more chillies, but I do find it very nourishing” … the evening continues, the recipe follows.
Ingredients
- 2 handfuls of boiled young wood avens tips
- 1 handful of boiled young ground elder leaves and stems
- 2 handfuls of raw three cornered leek (flowers, leaves and stems)
- 2 green chillies (chopped)
- 1 handful of fresh sage (chopped)
- 1 knob of butter
- 1 dash of bran oil
- 1 tsp of coconut butter
- 2 tsp cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 8 ozs cooked short grain brown rice
Suggested Instructions
- Cook the rice and set aside.
- Boil wood avens tips for five minutes, strain and chop finely.
- Boil ground elder leaves and stems for three minutes, strain and chop finely.
- Melt butter in a pan and add a dash of bran oil to prevent the butter from burning. Add the chopped chillies and fry for one minute.
- Add the cooked wood avens and ground elder and fry for three minutes, then add the three cornered leek and fresh sage, mix well.
- Remove from heat, add rice, coconut butter, vinegar and tahini and mix well, then serve.
Serves: 2