As we sheltered in place in the spring of 2020, we began to devote more time to our gardens, both cultivated and wild.
More plantings for our bees and more attention to the forgeable wild food that was right under our noses! Some of the wild edible recipes we created appear in our new cookbook, Cooking at Wintergreen, and others can be downloaded below. Read on!
May
Wild Leek and Asparagus Soup
We are blessed with an abundance of wild leeks (otherwise known as ramps) at Wintergreen, and we harvest them with care. This soup recipe was inspired by Laura Wright’s version. Her cookbook, The First Mess Cookbook, is filled with seasonal plant-based recipes.
Dandelion Flower Omelette
Bees love dandelions, and with good reason. Every part of the dandelion wild edible is…well…edible The leaves, the flowers, the stems, the roots. Raw or cooked, dandelion greens are as nutritious as spinach and kale. In fact, many of have likely tried young dandelion leaves in a green salad, but here is recipe — from Latvia — that uses flowers as well as the leaves.
June
Garlic Mustard Pesto
You can make pesto with just about anything! We use various herbs in our garden, such as lemon balm, but we also forage in the wild for ingredients. Garlic mustard is a favourite. It is an invasive species in North America, so harvesting it and eating it is a fine idea! Delicious, too. Serve it over pasta or use it as a base for a flatbread. Or use it over steamed fish. It’s also a delicious addition to tomato soup.
Lilac Cordial
Capture the heady smell of spring’s lilac blossoms with this cordial recipe. Serve it diluted with sparkling water, try it in lemonade, pour it over ice cream, or add it to a glass of kombucha or champagne! Can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
July
Lamb’s Quarters Quesadillas
Best creamy quesadillas ever. Lamb’s quarters are very much like spinach, but a bit tangier. And a nutritional powerhouse! Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream for the full effect!
Broadleaf Plantain Shoots
While most people harvest the plantain leaves for salads, soups, and stews, a simple sauté of the green flowering shoots makes a delicious side dish. Tastes like a cross between fiddleheads and asparagus with a soft but chewy texture. Spring flavours in a summer dish!
August
Creamy Milkweed Pod Pasta
Who would have thought that milkweed pods could be the basis of such a delicious pasta? The milkweed pods are slightly sweet, with a wonderful texture and are complemented in this recipe with fresh peas and a creamy sauce.
Purslane Salad
Made from a nutrient dense green that grows right under our feet! Purslane is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes, so we’ve chosen a salad that embraces Middle Eastern flavours.
September
Cedar Tea
Sumac Sun Tea
This traditional Indigenous tea can be made year-round and is praised for its medicinal benefits.
This delicious late summer or early fall drink is full of vitamins and antioxidants, to say nothing of its zesty flavour!
Not our first rodeo …
Prior to publishing the first and second editions of Cooking at Wintergreen, our first cookbook was created by Lindy Mechefske. A Taste of Wintergreen remains a favourite, and there are a few recipes from that original cookbook that have made their way into the more recent publications.
The Kitchen & Gardens
Wintergreen’s Kitchen
We love food. Tame or wild, spicy or sweet. The kitchen and gardens are at the heart of Wintergreen.