I Hear Violins

It's springtime and that means that the fiddleheads are ready! Fiddleheads are actually the baby fronds of ferns, which are used as a vegetable. Apparently, they are high in omega fatty acids and  fiber. In any case, don't be afraid to pick up a few handfuls, of this odd-shaped vegetable, the next time you're in the grocery store.

Simply wash the fiddleheads thoroughly to remove any 'gunk' (a technical culinary term for dirt and debris). I also like to cut off a little bit of the ends that have gone slightly brown.

Now, fiddleheads can be boiled, fried, steamed, sautéed or cooked in anyway. However, the best way to cook any vegetable is to put them in a lined baking sheet, cover them in olive oil and sea salt, and bake them. 375° F is a good temperature to cook these veggies.

Simply bake them until they are, well, done. (They're vegetables, not rocket science.) I like to cook them so that they are tender, but still retain a little crunch.


Once cooked, they have a flavour similar to green beans with a nutty kick. You can serve them on the side of any meal.

All Dressed Up and Ready to Go

Stepping away from traditional dressings can be difficult for some. Take these steamed green beans for instance. I could easily make a vinaigrette and have the side of boring with my meal. Today I decided to add an exciting ninja kick instead. 

Enter Shichimi Togarashi. Shichimi Togarashi is a Japanese spice blend meaning "seven flavour chili pepper". It is made with dried peppers, orange peel, black and white sesame seeds, and seaweed. It is available in most Asian grocery stores, catering to the Japanese market, in the Greater Toronto Area.

I decided to mix the magic powder to some sesame oil. Sesame oil is commonly used in Asian cooking to enhance the taste of foods. It has a high nutritional content containing omega fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

I topped the green beans with the oil-spice mixture and a little bit of sea salt. I also decided to add a few carrot top leaves to the mix. Unknown to most people, carrot greens are edible. They have a very concentrated carrot flavour and can be used like parsley. (Don't throw them away next time.)

Problem solved. Try it next time, when you're looking for a change from the ordinary.

Well Grounded

I have found that buying edible sprouts is quite common nowadays. Also, it has become quite trendy to grow your own sprouts. Cool little gadgets, meshes and growers seem to be available to the mass market. In fact, I have personally seen moong (a.k.a. mung) bean growers for sale for an exuberant amount of money. I want to let you in on a secret...


Moong beans are very inexpensive and you do not need any fancy equipment in order to sprout them!


Moong beans can be purchased at any Indian or Chinese grocery store. The average price for these beans is approximately $1.00-$1.50/lb CAD. (That's a whole lot of beans!)

On to the sophisticated and highly technical equipment. I use a glass pie plate. You may also use a shallow bowl. Simply put a handful of moong beans in the plate and cover with cold water. Be sure not to overfill your plate with the beans. They will increase in size considerably.

I usually place the plate where it won't be knocked around and where it can be kept relatively warm. Above the fridge works best for me. You will notice that the beans will start to grow quite quickly. This picture was taken after the beans were soaked overnight.

As the beans grow and the water evaporates, you will need to top your plate with more water.

As a general rule of thumb, your beans are ready once the roots are approximately the size of the bean (or longer). Give them a rinse, using a colander or sieve, under some fresh water and they will be ready to use. Feel free to keep the husks, as they are a great source of fiber.

There are many ways to enjoy sprouted moong beans. One of my favourite ways is by creating a salad with moong bean sprouts, steamed corn, olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt.


Other ways of using these sprouts include:
- creating a sprouted moog bean curry
- adding them to a stir-fry
- steaming them by themselves or with other vegetables
- sprucing up a boring salad by adding a handful

My Hips Don't Lie

Flowers, both domesticated and wild, are readily available throughout Canada. It is amazing the  variety, species, colors and shapes that are available in this country.

However, few people realize that many of these flowers are actually edible and some even have medicinal properties. An example of such a flower is in rose.

 Wild Rose

Wild rose and even garden rose petals can be eaten.  They have been used in many cultures to produce items such as rosewater, preserves and jams. These flowers have been traditionally used to remedy stomach ailments. The petals can also be used in a number of ways including:

- additions to salads

- garnishes

- frozen decorations in ice cubes

- floated in punches

- giving a kick to desserts (e.g. ice creams)

Ingredient Alert: The rose flower is not the only part of the plant that can be used!  Rose plants produce fruit called hips, that replace the flowers in the autumn.

When ripe, rose hips turn a bright red colour, similar to crab apples.  Rose hips are a very high source of vitamin C.  The best time to harvest rose hips is after the first frost. Use them whole to make tea, or to flavour jams and jellies.


Another common edible flower is the dandelion.

Dandelions have been used for generations as a herb. Both the slightly bitter leaves and yellow flower petals can be eaten raw in salads. The leaves can also be sautéed, with a little olive oil and sea salt, and eaten as a side dish.  The roots can be washed thoroughly and roasted to make a caffeine-free coffee substitute.  The the roasted roots can also be used in combination with coffee to augment the taste.


Flavour Enhancing Idea: Sprinkle some dandelion flower petals on hot, savory fritters to give them a boost of flavour and an addition of colour.


Commercial Availability: I have been able to buy dandelion leaves at many local supermarkets throughout the Greater Toronto Area.


A relation to the dandelion is the common chicory.

Chicory can be used in the exact same manner as the dandelion. Both chicory and dandelion have been used in traditional medicines to treat the liver.

Warning: Know Your Source!

- NEVER ingest plants that have been treated with pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or any other chemicals

- NEVER harvest flowers or plants growing by the roadside

- ALWAYS identify the flower or plant and eat only the edible parts of those plants

- Be very sure of the plant's identification. If you are not entirely sure that a plant is edible, do not eat it!

Let Your Love for Food "Blossom"

Seen below are zucchini flowers; more appropriately, zucchini blossoms. They are a delicate ingredient used in Mediterranean cooking.

Many people grow zucchini in their gardens and, often, do not know that the large yellow flowers can be eaten. The zucchini or courgette, as it is known as in other parts of the world, is type of squash.  "Zucca" in Italian or "courge" in French means squash or pumpkin.  Therefore, zucchini and courgette both translate to "little squash".

Availability:

The zucchini plant grows quite well throughout the spring, summer and autumn in Southern Ontario. The flowers are produced throughout the season.

If you do not have a garden available, I have been able to buy squash flowers from the following places in the Greater Toronto Area:

- farmers markets (e.g. at Metro Hall)

- Chinatown (not in the stores, but from the ladies on the street who sell products from their gardens)

- some grocery stores catering to Italian patrons carry them (depending on availability and demand)

Tips:

1) Don't be afraid to trim any large or dead leaves from the outside of your zucchini plant. Trimming has proven well for me, as one year I was able to cultivate zucchini flowers up until mid-October.

2) Please note that all squash blossoms are edible and can be used instead of zucchini blossoms.

3) When picking squash blossoms, do so only in the morning when the flowers are open. Flower-loving insects, including beetles and bees, love the environment and often become entrapped when the flowers close later in the day.

Cleaning:

When cleaning the yellow blossoms, wash them thoroughly inside and out.  Make sure they dry well, especially if you decide to fry them.  Not doing so will cause your oil to splash and sputter, potentially creating a cooking/burn hazard (I speak from experience).

Remove the bottom ends of the flowers, by pinching gently. The stamen/pistol should remove easily.  Also, remove the slender needle-like leaves at the base of the flowers. Please see below for picture.

Once clean and dry, they are ready for use.

Traditional Recipe: Zucchini Blossom Fritters

- Create a simple batter by combining approximately 1/2 - 3/4 cup of white flour, one egg, a pinch of salt and water

- The batter should be the consistency of pancake batter

- Coat your cleaned zucchini blossoms with a small amount of batter

- Fry* in a skillet, using a medium to high heat, until golden brown

*For optimal flavour, I have found that the best oil to use is an unrefined sunflower oil.  This oil is not chemically processed in any way and, as you can see below, it has a bright golden colour.  The taste is nutty, exactly like the sunflower seeds it is made from.  I buy this type of oil at a local Russian market in North York, Ontario.  Similar markets catering to Eastern Europeans have many comparable products.

Example of unrefined sunflower oil

Variations for Zucchini Blossom Fritters:

- stuff the blossoms with ricotta cheese

- stuff the blossoms with either a piece of mozzarella cheese or an anchovy, or both

- add Romano or Parmesan cheese to the batter

- use sparkling water instead of still water, in your batter, to make the coating crispy

- use cold water or keep the batter cold with ice, as an alternative way to make the coating crispy

- add a small amount of baking powder to the batter to make the coating fluffy

- use white wine or sparkling wine in the batter to add a little "je ne sais quoi"

- omit the egg for a vegan-friendly option

Here are some other uses for this ingredient:

- add a layer of zucchini blossoms to a vegetable lasagna

- make a zucchini blossom frittata or omelette

- use the flowers as a pizza topping

- mulch the blossoms, as seen below, and add to a soup or stew

Whoa!  Hidden Ingredient Alert!  Two Ingredients in One!

Do not throw away any stems or buds.  These parts of the plant are also edible and, by the way, taste amazing!  Chop up any light green, tender stems, buds, and leaves and add them to a soup, stew or chili.  Only use very small leaves, up to the size of a nickel. These parts of the plant are traditionally used at the end of the growing season and added to the best tasting minestrone you will ever try. If you cannot use the stems, etc. right away, they freeze very well.