Chigweed is not an herb like many others. Not one that is only added to food in small quantities every now and then. Everyone can have a big bite of chickweed! Their presence is most beautiful in salads. Whether as a delicate soloist or a modest accompanist.
How can I use chickweed in salad?
For a delicious and he althy chickweed salad, wash fresh chickweed thoroughly and drain it. It can be served plain with vinaigrette, mixed with other leafy salads, chopped vegetables or fruit or with various salad toppings.
The taste of chickweed
Taste cannot be accurately expressed in words, because it often depends on the subtle nuances. How can chickweed be described so that someone who has never tasted it before has a good idea? Not at all. It is described as tasty and mild. That should be enough to pique your curiosity. Try this herb yourself.
Chigweed as a salad ingredient
The mild taste and tenderness of the leaves and flowers qualify this herb for regular use in salads. The reserved taste of chickweed allows it to be eaten in large quantities at once.
It provides good-tasting greens that obey all the rules when preparing them, like the leaf salads we know.
Tip
The tender leaves are still plump and juicy after picking. The longer the chickweed is stored, the more the quality suffers. It's not suitable for the vegetable compartment of the fridge, it won't stay fresh for long.
Salad variations
How you prepare the chickweed is up to you:
- plain with a vinaigrette
- mixed with other leaf salads
- in combination with chopped vegetables or fruit
- with other salad toppings
Basically, you can choose any leaf lettuce recipe and replace the specified type of lettuce with chickweed. Chickweed is now also served by many star chefs, which proves how enriching the herb can be as a complement to our dishes.
Instructions for collecting
You won't find chickweed in supermarkets. Still. Maybe that will change over time. If you don't cultivate the wild herb in your own garden or if it has accidentally established itself, you can discover it anywhere in the wild. When collecting, pay attention to the following points:
- do not collect near busy roads
- Avoid dog paths
- familiarize yourself with the identifying features
- pay attention to plant “doubles”
- How to avoid confusion with poisonous plants
- pick immediately before need
- You can also harvest during the flowering period
Wash chickweed thoroughly
Especially if the chickweed is not heated, as is the case when preparing salad, it must be washed thoroughly beforehand. Clean the greens in a bowl of water, in several batches if necessary. Then let the herb drain briefly. It can also be carefully dried in a salad spinner.
Why salad is so he althy
If you eat chickweed without heating it, you will benefit from many valuable ingredients. Because they are almost completely preserved in the salad. These include the following minerals and vitamins:
- Potassium
- Silica
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
The fresher the chickweed is on the table, the more of these ingredients are still present in it. In addition, there are the so-called secondary plant substances, whose importance for our he alth is only now slowly being discovered.
