The snowdrops are creating blankets of bright whites contrasting with the dark green grasses and muddy gaps on our roadside edges. Gardens and parks are dotted with the bright colours of crocuses. The birds have started their singing, from the robin who continues all winter, but now we are starting to hear the great tits, the song thrushes, the drilling of the greater spotted woodpecker and many more. All of this is telling us spring is on its way, and we can start to forage for those spring greens.
With Storm Ciara last week and Storm Dennis due today, spring can seem a long way off. But go for a walk along the edges or in the wild places and you’ll see smaller more subtle signs of spring too. Some of which taste great.
Hairy Bitter Cress (Cardamine hirsuta):
A terrible name for a rather tasty plant. This little member of the mustard family is easily distinguishable due to its rosette appearance and distinct smell when bruised. Bringing back memories of sand filled egg and cress sandwiches eaten on the beach, pretending it was warm enough to build sand castles (just me – oh well).
I tend to find it in shady or semi shady places, at the edges of paths, more recently I’ve often found it growing on walls, and the sides of bridges, happily ignoring its vertical plane and still growing in a flat rosette against the surface.
It’s great just thrown into a mixed salad and makes rocket look like a limp iceberg lettuce.
It’s a fabulous garnish, that adds a kick to any canapés.
I’ve chopped it finely, or thrown it through a blender, with a nice olive oil and used this as a drizzle on Welsh Rarebit, I’ve also added it like the lava in a volcano to the centre of a home made hummus.
Wild garlic, or ransoms (Allium ursinum):
You usually find this more by smell than anything else, the scent of it drifting along a woodland ride always brings a smile to my lips. Where it grows it often grows in abundance. But still gather it with care, Lords and Ladies also known as Cuckoo plant (Arum maculatum), a particular nasty, can be hiding amongst the ransoms.
I, like others, really enjoy this in a pesto (everything tastes good with parmesan, olive oil and pine nuts though, right?), or chopped finely and mixed into a stirfry at the last moment, adds a lovely green and a great flavour. I’ve also got a lovely Wild Garlic Butter recipe, here.
