The Return of the Hogweed
Avaliable in a woodland near you…
This week sees the arrival of the first hogweed of the year in my kitchen, certainly one of the most unusual foods I have ever come across I feel duty bound to cook it because it is so different.
Hogweed is found throughout the British Isles in woodland, hedgerows and grassy roadsides, do not confuse this particular variety with Giant Hogweed which should be avoided at all costs and certainly not eaten. When picking hogweed look out for the young tender leaves and shoots at this time of year, they burst into flower from June until October.
Hogweed looks like a vegetable but is actually a biennial herb, you can treat the leaves and young shoots as per any green vegetable. I usually serve it with fish but it can be eaten on its own with some butter and black pepper or a spoon of hollandaise sauce.
If eating it isn’t your thing then you could always do as the Siberians do and turn it into a spirit!
Miles,
I think I’ve inadvertently fried my kale seedlings today….. that’s the trouble with a climate that’s wintery one minute and tropical the next…. sob! I’m usually better off getting bigger plants to start with but I won’t give up. Good news is that I’m going to visit Barcelona’s famous market this year, something I’ve always fancied seeing.
Cid
May 7, 2008 @ 5:46 pm
Cid,
Sorry to hear that, have another go. Barcelona will be fabulous, I look forward to hearing about it.
Miles
May 7, 2008 @ 9:25 pm
Miles,
Butternut squash seeds in and placed on windowsill as per instructions. If I get two kales out of the recent batch, I’ll be lucky but a lesson learned.
Cid
May 8, 2008 @ 7:53 am
Miles,
Your blog is full of surprises. I have never heard of hogweed being cooked. I would be interested to taste it but am not brave enough to venture into the countryside and pick it myself.
If the edible version is plentiful, should hogweed gatherers not be out and about?
As people complain about the rising cost of food, do you see a return of foraging in the countryside?
With all these edible foods and herbs out there you could turn half of your kitchen garden over to mother nature and let her do the work for you.
Elsie
May 8, 2008 @ 8:32 pm
Elsie,
Right now I am tempted to give my garden up to the first bidder! I don’t think foraging will ever take on again, I don’t think people can be bothered to be honest.
Miles
May 8, 2008 @ 9:17 pm
Cid,
Butternut squash is one of my favourite squashes, they are very versatile. I shall keep you updated on the monster pumpkins but I fear a huge glut of summer squash before that.
Miles
May 8, 2008 @ 10:17 pm
Miles,
A glut of summer squash do I hear? … that’ll be a good opportunity to carve something fabulous, for instance I’ve recently seen Jonny Depp aka Jack Sparrow, carved into one…. amazing detail too.
With natural artistic talent like yours, this could be the way forward
Cid
May 9, 2008 @ 7:01 am
Cid,
Maybe when I am too old for this lark- I’ll start next week
Miles
May 9, 2008 @ 7:12 am