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