It is a welcome peppery flavour. Just when we most need an abundant, delicious, and highly nutritious green. April 8, 2014 April 8, ... As for recipes, there’s not a great deal out there, as the consensus seems to be that simply enjoying it raw and unadulterated is best, and no let-down. Hand full of Hairy Bittercress rosettes; Two cups of veggie broth liquid; Salt & pepper to taste; Add freshly picked and wash rosettes to veggie broth, add salt and pepper, and then bring to boil. copyright © 2010-2020 Wild Edible, all rights reserved | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions. Hairy Bittercress It’s really convenient to step outside and pick a few tender sprigs when we want to add a little bite to our salad. Smear lashings of this wild Harissa recipe over plump white fish fillets. Collecting . The “hairy” in its name is derived from the tiny “hairs” on its leaves and stems. Annual weed seeds overwinter and then burst into growth towards the end of the season. Its flavor profile is similar to watercress but bittercress is more readily available. It grows in a compact, basal rosette form – which is to say, its leaves all radiate out from around the base. It's fixed now so a picture of bittercress actually appears! Jan 21, 2013 - This is a new spring green for us, one that is ready to eat right now. How to identify Hairy Bittercress, Cardamine hirsuta. Like a lot of edible green weeds, the leaves from hairy bittercress wilt quickly so it is best to consume it fresh. Seedlings often emerge following germination in fall and plants can overwinter in a vegetative state. Hairy bittercress going to seed. https://herbalpicnic.blogspot.com/.../hairy-bittercress.html The tiny 2 mm white flowers of hairy bittercress begin as buds with four sepals growing on a single, smooth stalk in the middle of the plant’s basal rosette. Technically, it’s edible, with a slightly peppery taste like its mustard relatives. Slice the veal and place on top. Hairy bittercress is a one of the first edible weeds to be pickable early in the year. ½ tsp of Red crushed chili flakes 4 beetroot (weighing about 500g) 50g sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 40g bitter cress Sea saltMethod Young hairy bittercress Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a winter or summer annual weed (depending on location). Here in Florida we see it popping up in our winter, which is Christmas to Valentines Day. All herbs and spices should be totally immersed. Each leaf stalk has 5-9 paired leaflets, shaped somewhat like a kidney bean or a ginkgo leaf, with a single terminal leaflet at the end. Let steep for 2 weeks. Very yum! Put the remaining garnish on and around the asparagus. Bittercress can be eaten in a fresh salad but for this recipe, we are going to sautee it with some garlic and onion with red crushed chili flakes. Hairy Bittercress Flowers Hairy Bittercress Leaves. This helps to keep Wild Edible online. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a winter or summer annual weed (depending on location).Stems can be 3-9 inches long, and the leaves are mostly on the lower portion of the stem in a basal rosette. Hairy bittercress can be used like horseradish or watercress to add a kick to dishes like beef tartare. A big handful finely chopped hairy bittercress (or use large bittercress, watercress, or scurvy) 150 ml heavy cream; 1 teaspoon cane sugar; 2 teaspoons apple … I started noticing buds this year in early February in eastern North Carolina, and just a few weeks later, the plants were covered in seedpods. Basal rosette of pinnate leaves; 1-3 pairs of leaflets with terminal, larger leaflet; tiny, 4-petaled white flowers in clusters at top of stems, followed by slender, upright seed capsules. Foraging for hairy bittercress can be as simple as walking out into your backyard. 3 cloves of garlic, minced Purslane Despite it being called bittercress, it’s not bitter at all instead it has a rich tangy yet spicy flavor. Harvest/Pick Hairy bittercress is a one of the first edible weeds to be pickable early in the year. Bittercress is a delicious substitute for lettuce or spinach that can be found in your yard. A more appropriate name would be Not-so-hairy and pleasantly-mild spicycress. Tiny white flowers appear on upright, wiry stems in early spring and continue to bloom until autumn. Herb: Hairy Bittercress Latin name: Cardamine hirsuta Family: Cruciferae Edible parts of Hairy Bittercress: Leaves and flowers - raw or cooked. Hairy Bittercress : Explosive Dehiscence Uncle Steve shows how the seeds of Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta, in the mustard family) are scattered. Bittercress is a weed that really thrives in cooler weather and dies back in late spring or summer as temperatures climb, much like chickweed, which can often be found growing nearby. 1) Heat oil in a medium saucepan or wok over low heat, then add onion, garlic and red crushed chili flakes and cook until the aroma fills the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, then, it’s a common lawn weed (where it can form expansive mats) as well as a greenhouse weed (where it pops up in and around containers). How to Identify Hairy Bittercress. It self seeds quickly through exploding it's seeds many meteres. kosher salt and pepper to taste. The leaves and seeds are popular additions to salads and stir fry dishes. What is hairy bittercress? The plant germinates most freely in the autumn and so leaves are usually available all winter. It germinates in the fall and will continue to grow during warm spells throughout the winter. Strain. 5) Enjoy your hard work! Leaves at the base of the plant are larger than the leaves at the top of the plant. "Wildman" Steve Brill had asked if we were finding hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) in our area yet, but we had never looked for it before. To serve, make an oval with the pine nut purée, then place the white asparagus down the middle of the plate. Fry the kidney in foaming butter and then slice. Learn more about how to forage for hairy bittercress and where to find it. Bittercress is a delicious substitute for lettuce or spinach that can be found in your yard. Description. It has a basal rosette and may form a dense mat. Peak season for Hairy Bittercress flavor is October to February. Hairy bittercress is a winter annual or biennial plant in the mustard (Brassicaceae) family native to Europe and Asia, but also present in North America. 4) Serve in a dish next to your choice of meat or vegetables. Stinging Nettles. 1 small onion, minced During really cold weather, bittercress will remain dormant. Here in Florida we see it popping up … Many weeds are edible and once you’ve correctly identified them, can be used in the kitchen. I also have to admire (reluctantly) how the ripe seedpods explode when disturbed, shooting seeds several feet away, attaching to clothing and fur for easy, wide dispersal. Add honey to taste. 2) Once onions are translucent, add the Bittercress and slowly raise the heat to medium. Harvesting Hairy Bittercress. It’s scientific name is Cardamine Hirsuta, which refers to the name Hairy Bittercress. Hairy bittercress is a hardy, frost-tolerant plant that remains green throughout the winter in most climates. 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Finish the plates with a scattering of It is best to gather the greens very early in the spring, or in the late fall when the leaves are tender. https://www.villasanraffaello.com/wild-edibles-foraging-guide-hairy-bittercress Heat some butter/oil in a frying pan, and fry each fillet for about 2 mins each side, depending on the size of the fillets. Required fields are marked *. www.eattheweeds.com/bittercress-and-kissing-crucifer-cousins Despite it being called bittercress, it’s not bitter at all instead it has a rich tangy yet spicy flavor. Leaf margins are deeply lobed. The flower stalks may be green or red. Find out … The photograph shows it nestling next to an overwintered lettuce in Jamie’s polytunnel. Unlike the Tansy Mustard, it likes to grow where it is damp. https://the3foragers.blogspot.com/2012/03/hairy-bittercress-recipe-yogurt.html I was going to share this to our herb society's FB page, but the picture that appears with the link is of a chanterelle, not the bittercress! Harvest bittercress by pulling the whole plant (when it won’t detrimentally affect the colony) or by cutting off the leaf stalks, avoiding the tough flower stalks and seedpods. Hairy Bittercress Edibility – 4/5 – Tasty light mustard flavour, perfect for salads and garnishes Identification – 3/5 – Adhering to classic brassicaceae motif of cruciferous (cross-shaped) white flowers and rosettes of leaf stalks with a paired leaflets and a larger terminal lobe. A hot cress-like flavour, they are mainly used as a garnish or flavouring in salads etc but are also sometimes used as a potherb. The same is true for crops that overwinter such as … Health Benefits. 2) Once onions are translucent, add the Bittercress and slowly raise the heat to medium. They can be steamed with other vegetables to add a garlic mustard flavour or cut them up to add them to soups and salads. Being in the brassica family bittercress … Perhaps the best tasting of winter weeds, hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) features finely lobed leaves that grow in a symmetrical rosette. Bittercress likes open, disturbed spaces and you will often find it popping up near the garden or along pathways. Mugwort, an Age-Old Herb that Uncovers Our Herbal History, Common Reed (Phragmites), an Age Old Sweet Treat, Wild Parsnip, Flagrant Foilage but a Tasty Taproot, Eastern Prickly Pear, Hardy Spines Hiding a Sweet Treat, Evening Primrose, a Nutritious and Medicinal Garden Favorite, Waterlily, a Decorative and Nutritious Wild Edible, Yellow Pond Lily, Cheerful Blooms and Popcorn like Snacks, American Lotus, Fun to Forage and Highly Nutritious, Watercress, a Peppery Wild Edible with Informed Foraging, Mulberry, Wild Sweet Fruits and Favored in the Silk Industry, Chamomile: Just a tinge brightens up your day. The leaves that grow from the flower stalk are shaped differently than the main plant’s leaflets, being more narrow and long. In northern climes it germinates in the fall and stays green under the snow. You can read more about bittercress in our Article about this prolific plant. This plant hangs around all year long on the West Coast but turns into a stringy character with poor taste (kind of like one of my old roommates, come to think of it) in … https://www.bbg.org/news/weed_of_the_month_hairy_bittercress Follow My Adventures Hiking's, Wildcamping And Wild Food Recipes Scandinavi ... Hairy bittercress is a pleasantly tangy plant, fleshier and sweeter than watercress. Bittercress is one of the smaller wild mustards with compound leaves that consist of tiny leaflets growing pinnately along leaf stalks that rarely reach more than six inches or so, a single leaflet on the tip. Each leaf stalk has 5-9 paired leaflets, shaped somewhat like a kidney bean or a ginkgo leaf, with a single terminal leaflet at the end. This week’s star is the less than enticingly named Hairy Bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta). Leaves and flowers used as garnish or in salads or soups. Hairy bittercress is adapted to moist, disturbed soils, so it emerges wherever we irrigate. Affiliate Disclaimer: In some cases, we use affiliate links, which means we get a small (tiny) commission if you make a purchase after clicking a link. The “hairy” in its name is derived from the tiny “hairs” on its leaves and stems. Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta) is a really unfortunate name for a wonderfully tasty edible weed. The seeds usually germinate in late summer or early fall and seedlings remain dormant until the weather warms up in early spring and … To serve, make an oval with the pine nut purée, then place the white asparagus down the middle of the plate. This recipe is simple and easy to make, a great side dish for any occasion. The leaves wilt quickly so harvest only when you’re ready to use. Hairy bittercress (cardamine hirsuta) is an winter annual weed which can make its way into thin areas of lawn. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Oh my goodness! Add honey to taste. The seed pods eventually turn brown and dry…at first glance, a colony of bittercress at the seed pod stage appears to be eaten to the ground, the dry siliques reminiscent of brown stalks chewed by deer or rabbits. The hairs are more noticeable on young bittercress, but you still have to look pretty hard, like with a loupe or magnifying glass, to see them. Hairy Bittercress . A member of the mustard family (Cruciferae), hairy bittercress can function as a winter annual, summer annual, or biennial. How to Identify Hairy Bittercress. A Goddess to the forager, a curse to the gardener. The flavor of this plant is similar to broccoli rabe but much milder. 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