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

Ingredients:

• 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.

At the risk of being redundant, test for edibility before diving in.

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