Some of this wild food is available in the Boqueria at Petras, but it’s a lot more fun to find it for yourself. So, for those taking a trip to the great outdoors this month, whether to the mountains, the seaside or the woods, here are just a few of the goodies there for the picking. Don’t forget to heed the Tips and Warnings!
In this group of local edible wild plants, the Latin name is first, then, on the next line. are the common names in English, Catalan and Castilian, in that order. Common names for these plants can vary, so the Latin name is best used for identification.
Ulva rigida
Sea lettuce/Enciam de mar/Lechuga de mar
This highly tasty and nutritious seaweed is found most abundantly in nutrient-rich environments, such as ports and estuaries—but as these are also often pollutant-rich environments you may be better off collecting yours in isolated rocky coves, such as those in the Costa Brava. The name is a helpful identification guide—sea lettuce looks like a bright green piece of damp lettuce, and is either found attached to rocks or washed up by the waves. Before using, wash thoroughly and soak in water for a few hours. It can be eaten raw in salads or added to soups and stews—in dried, powdered form it’s a good thickener for these dishes. It’s an amazing source of all kinds of nutrients including iodine, proteins, iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium and vitamins A, B1 and C. It can be stored frozen for up to six months before it starts to lose flavour.
Portulaca oleracea
Common purslane/Verdolaga/Verdolaga
This is a good example of one man’s weed being another man’s free lunch. Common purslane is most often found growing in and around cultivated fields and gardens in low to mid-altitudes.
It’s a ground-creeping plant with thick reddish stems and succulent-like, fleshy leaves, pointed at the stalk end and very rounded at the opposite end, growing in branched pairs. The leaves can be picked throughout the year, but the most tender leaves are collected from plants without flowers. It can be cooked like spinach and its slightly sour, salty taste combines well with root vegetables and pulses. The youngest, tenderest leaves are also good in salads. It’s worth seeking out for its essential omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B and C and its antioxidants. Perhaps this is why Pliny the Elder recommended wearing purslane as an amulet against all evil.
Latest Comments
Rock Samphire Pickle Recipe
Posted by Robin Harford March 31, 2010 17:56:26