Page 81 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Lady Fern, Athyrium

filix-femina (ATHRYIACEAE)

LADY FERN is a lacy, erect, finely divided fern, 1 to 3 ft.
(0.3-1m) tall and 1 to 2.5 ft. (0.3-0.7m) wide. In fiddle-
head form, they have fewer brown scales at the base of
the stem and shorter bottom leaves.
FLOWER: no flower
LEAF: Leaves are light yellow-green to green in color, 8-
36 inches (20-90cm) long and 2-10 inches (5-2 cm) wide.
They are diamond shaped, so the leaflets are shorter at
the bottom and top of the stems with the middle leaflets
being the longest. Brown horseshoe shaped scales are MurielBendel, CC-BY-SA-4.0
found on the undersides of the leaflets.
CREAMY FIDDLEHEAD PASTA: Collect ½ cup fid-
EDIBLE PARTS: unfurled leaves (known as fiddleheads) dleheads and prepare as above. Make a roux with ½
KEY MEDICINAL USES: A tea may relieve pain and pow- cup diced onion, 1 diced clove garlic, cooked in ½ cup
dered root can be applied topically to heal sores. butter. Add 1 tbsp. flour. Cook for 10 min. Add ½ cup
milk, stirring constantly over low heat until thick-
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Ensure correct identifi-
ened. Gently add more milk if too thick. Add ½ cup
cation by either marking the plant in the summer/fall
grated cheese. Toss in lady ferns and mix well. Pour
when in its adult stage, or using an experienced forag-
over cooked pasta.
er. Young, unfurled shoots less than 4 inches (10cm) tall
can be harvested in early spring by cutting close to the. WARNING: Some ferns may be toxic. Ensure absolute
Harvest only 1 or 2 fiddleheads per plant so that the fern positive identification. Lady fern fiddleheads contain
lives. They must be cooked; boiled, or steamed for 10- thiaminase, so they must be cooked to ensure no ad-
12 min. after removing the brown scales. I enjoy them verse effects.
sautéed in butter.

Land Cress, Barbarea
verna (BRASSICACEAE)

LAND CRESS, Creasy Greens, Upland Cress, or Early
Winter Cress is a smooth-stemmed biennial herb that
grows from a basal rosette of leaves with 6 to 10 pairs of
lateral lobes, with the uppermost leaves pinnately divid-
ed several times. It grows 1 ft. (0.3 m) tall by 1 ft. wide.
It can tolerate drier conditions than watercress and can
be found growing in disturbed ground and meadows.
FLOWER: Flowers are mid yellow and less than ½ inch
(0.7-1cm) in size. They grow from lightly dense flower-
heads. The fruits are 1-2.5 inches (3-7cm) long and con- Salicyna, CC-BY-SA-4.0 Salicyna, CC-BY-SA-4.0
tain dark brown, plump seeds.
water for at least 2 min. can help with the bitterness.
LEAF: Basal leaves are 1-4 inch (2.5-10cm) long and Seeds can be pressed for an edible oil or sprouted.
have 6 to 10 lobes on each side, with the end lobe being
SPICY GRAIN SALAD: Gather 1 cup of leaves and
much larger. They have smooth margins. Stem leaves are
young unopened buds. Plunge in cold salted water
shorter with fewer lobes.
for 10 min. Blanch in boiling water for 2 min. and
EDIBLE PARTS: seeds, leaves, and oil plunge into cold water. Drain well and chop finely.
HOW TO HARVEST AND EAT: Leaves are bitter-spicy Make salad using 2-3 cups of leftover grain pilaf such
and can be used as a seasoning in salads rather than a as rice or quinoa. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, 1
green. For greens, it is best harvested young early in the clove of crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Add chopped
day, before flowers have opened. Blanching in boiling land cress and mix well.
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