Simple Wild Greens
In times past, spring’s wild greens were a vital source of vitamins after long winters. Traditional recipes for boiled or steamed wild greens are found in many cultures and often bring comfort and memories of home for those who grew up eating them. The Greek version is called horta; in Italy, it’s erbe cotte; and in Lebanon, it’s hindbeh biz zeit.In Korea, there’s a version called namul, which I first tasted at a local store. It was made with cooked watercress, soy sauce, roasted sesame oil and sesame seeds. It inspired me to make the version below. I often skip the toasted sesame oil, add extra minced garlic and still enjoy the dish’s simplicity.
Ingredients
- 4 cups wild greens, washed and trimmed
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or more as desired)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- To blanch greens, bring a pot of water to a boil and add greens. For most greens, boil 1–2 minutes; dandelion leaves, boil 5–10 minutes, tasting along the way to adjust bitterness.
- Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Firmly squeeze excess water from greens. Chop greens into smaller pieces.
- Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Toss greens in soy sauce mixture until evenly coated.
- Transfer to a plate and garnish with extra sesame seeds, if desired.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Pascal Bauder is a well-known advocate for simple food and wild-food culinary traditions that have sustained people for countless generations and across cultures. His determination to live on—and with—the land has gained him a following with many who want to eat well and eat extremely local.
He has authored four bestselling books: Wildcrafted Vinegars (2022), Wildcrafted Fermentation (2020), The Wildcrafting Brewer (2018) and The New Wildcrafted Cuisine (2016).
