In addition to trout lily, I expect to see spring beauty, wild onion, plantain and other early spring wild edibles very soon. The days are getting longer.The leaves of these early spring arrivals - and in some cases the roots - are all perfect for salad. Pick them now, in a few weeks they’ll need to be cooked.
Early Spring Green Salad
1/2 cup tiny plantain leaves*
1/2 cup wild onion grass
1/2 cup tiny dandelion leaves under 2″
1/2 cup trout lily leaves
1/2 cup tiny violet leaves
1 cup lambs quarter leaves
1 cup watercress
1 cup mustard leaves
1 cup chickweed
2 cups wood sorrel
1 cup spring beauty flowers
1/2 cup violet flowers - purple, yellow and/or white
1/2 cup trout lily flowers
1/4 cup spring beauty tubers
1/2 cup trout lily tubers
Rinse leaves, tubers and blossoms in cold water - a light spray is best - and drain.
Tear or coarsely chop leaves and tubers - toss, then sprinkle blossoms on top.
I recommend you taste the salad before adding a dressing - you may find that you won’t need a dressing.
* if bigger than 1-2 inches, you may need to remove the stringy central vein to eat raw