This is the third in a series of foraging-related articles I'm writing for our local bulletin.
Re-posted from the Artisan Office Bulletin: http://artisanoffice.com/bulletin/
Re-posted from the Artisan Office Bulletin: http://artisanoffice.com/bulletin/
~ ~ ~
It's pretty soggy
out these days. What remains of our wild and cultivated leafy greens
is mostly melting away in a grey-brown sludge, battered by fallen
branches and covered by the remains of other plants. But underneath
the nearly-frosty ground, the roots are at their prime; ready for
eating, canning, roasting, drying and steeping.
Similar to other
members of the Aster family such as Canada thistle, dandelion,
artichoke and chicory, burdock root contains plenty of the dietary
fibre, inulin. Among other benefits, inulin supports the growth of
beneficial bacteria in the intestines(1). As a diuretic, starchy root
vegetable, and source of inulin, burdock is used by many populations
both medicinally and as food.(2)
Identifying
burdock: The easiest way to identify burdock is to find burs. If
you walk near the edge of the trails or roadsides around here, you
probably already know where to find them, unless you've already
carried them all away on your sleeves and boot-laces. They're those
brown prickly velcro-like seed-heads
that cling to their old brown stems at about knee-height, this
time of year. (Yes, Velcro was indeed invented when Swiss engineer
George de Mestral was inspired by similarly clingy burdock burs!(3))
This
large plant is conspicuous in summer, with its broad,
slightly-fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves, and magenta thistle flowers or
green (and later brown) burs all over its tall stems. However at this
time of year it's beginning to look rather sorry. The year-old
burdock plants (those that haven't yet flowered) will generally look
like a handful of yellowing limp leaves, radiating out from the
centre. That's where you'll find the root. In older plants that have
already flowered, the root will be at the base of those long brown
stalks of burs.
Note: Do not
confuse burdock with foxglove (medicinal in small amounts but can
cause heart-failure), which has a very different scent and
diamond-shaped, but similarly large and fuzzy leaves. If you're new
to burdock harvesting, take a guidebook and make sure you're
harvesting from the correct plant.
Harvesting and
cooking: The best roots for eating come from those plants that
haven't yet flowered. The older roots are inferior, and better dug in
spring. You can dig the roots up any time of year, but mid- to
late-autumn is when they're best, after a summer of good growth, and
before they freeze.
Dig down very deep,
pulling out the whole root, which can be very long. Give the roots a
scrub, and then peel them. I find a potato peeler works quite well.
Now you can chop them up or sliver them and cook them as you would
parsnips or other such roots: add to soups, sauté,
ferment (as in kimchi) or stir-fry with other vegetables. My husband
wants me to point out that they can be rather bitter and maybe not
best as the main component of a dish.
Fresh burdock roots
don't keep very well, and lose some of their health benefits as
they're stored in the fridge, so you may prefer to harvest them fresh
rather than store them.
Tea or
Coffee: One of the most delicious uses of burdock that I
know of is as a tea or coffee substitute. You can cut your peeled
burdock into very small pieces and dry it, then store it in a jar
until needed for steeping. There are three basic ways of steeping
burdock root for a hot drink:
Raw infusion: Simply
steep the raw dried roots. This is very weak and 'leafy', and frankly
not very enjoyable!
Roasted and steeped
as tea: either over a stove or in an oven, slowly heat the dry
burdock root pieces until they are brown (but not black!). Then steep
as you would regular tea. The result is a rich and earthy-flavoured
transparent brown infusion that tastes lovely on its own or with a
bit of milk or sugar, if that is how you like your tea.
Ground and filtered
as coffee: Take the roasted dried burdock and grind it in a coffee
mill. Use it in a drip-filter or French press, and you'll have a
heavier, heartier drink, with a slightly more bitter flavour than if
it's just infused.
Happy autumn! May
your days be filled with harvesting adventures, and your evenings
with delicious wild foods and warm drinks.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comment will appear after it is approved. This can take a while!