By Adrienne Smith
If you're a Nextdoorganics member, you're familiar with the abundance of spring produce in your weekly packages. Arugula, spinach, ramps, watermelon radishes and fresh herbs all come to mind.
But have you heard of artemisia? Stinging nettle? Purslane?
These are foraged plants that will arrive in your weekly Nextdoorganics packages this spring, thanks to Meadows And More. Once recognized, the foraged plants are as approachable as your average carrots, basil and lettuce.
We've broken down some of the foraged ingredients you may see from Meadows And More. Keep an eye out for new foraged plants in late April or early May.
What Is Meadows And More?
Meadows And More aims to connect great food with nature. NJ-based Meadows And More finds wild growing plants worth a spot on your dinner plate.
They break down assumptions on what food is ugly or unwanted. So many things grown in nature are edible - and delicious! Meadows And More connects you to those often overlooked items.
Want more information and recipes on foraged foods? Check out the James Beard award nominated book Foraged Flavor. Written by Meadows And More's Tama Matsuoka Wong and Eddy Leroux, with a foreward by Daniel Boulud, the book covers foraging and cooking with plenty of plants.
Foraged Items From Meadows And More
Artemisia
Artemisia includes 300+ species of plants, with mugwort as one of the most common. Similar to a slightly bitter herb, mugwort benefits from mellow potatoes, earth mushrooms and cream in this soup recipe from Foraged Flavor.
Stinging Nettle
Yes, stinging nettle can actually sting (use gloves while handling raw). But their long leaves taste similar to spinach once cooked, and are packed with vitamins A and C. Food52 breaks down some ways to cook this "weed."
Wild Mustard
This leafy plant with a telltale yellow flower grows abundantly in many climates. The leafy green has a peppery bite, and is best eaten cooked. Get more advice on eating wild mustard here.
Sumac
Sumac is a brilliantly red fruit that can be easily dried into a versatile spice. Use it in cocktails, dressings and marinades. Tampa from Meadows And More explains how to forage for sumac, how to dry it, and how to use it over on Serious Eats.
Purslane
Purslane has a one-of-a-kind benefit: it has the highest amount of Omega-3 fatty acids of any green plant. Add that to the list. Purslane also has a fresh, lemony taste and is easy to use; it's delicious either raw or cooked.
More Links:
Foraging the spring and garlicky flavors of wild onion ramps and garlic mustard.
Foraged Flavor: All About Purslane
Serious Eats Recipe: Sparkling Sumac Lemonade
All About Lambsquarters (+ A Summer Frittata)
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