Not only exotic herbs can be used well for seasoning. There are also many edible wild herbs and wild flowers that make for lovely surprises in the kitchen. Here you can find out which ones are suitable and what you should pay attention to when using them.
What edible wild herbs and wild flowers are there?
Edible wild herbs and wildflowers can be found in meadows, forests and roadsides, such as oregano, nettles, nasturtium, mint, dandelion, daisy, elderberry, chamomile, rose and cornflower. These can be used in the kitchen to season, refine or visually enhance dishes.
Which wild herbs grow in meadows and along roadsides?
With wildOregano,Stinging nettles, free-growingNasturtiumandwild mint, many meadows also produce a rich harvest to stock your spice rack. The wild herbs mentioned are just a few widespread examples. Use a wild herb book (€14.00 on Amazon) and, depending on the region, you will find much more in your meadows. You can use the wild herbs to season warm dishes or, for example, use them to prepare unusual herb curds.
Which popular wildflowers are edible?
Especially theDandelions, theDaisies,Elderberry,Chamomile,RoseandCornflower will provide you with good culinary service. While you can prepare a fine syrup with the elderberry, you can enrich salads or refine dishes with the other flowers. The attractive, colorful flowers of the cornflower or rose also visually enhance your food.
What does the forest produce to make pesto?
Withwild garlic,spruce tipsandpine nuts, the forests of Central European countries also provide exquisite ingredients for a delicious pesto. You can harvest the young tips of the spruce from May to April. You can recognize these by their light green color. Wild garlic can also be harvested at the same time. You can later collect its buds and pickle them like capers. To make the pesto mentioned, you will also need the following ingredients:
- Basil leaves
- Olive oil
- S alt
- Pepper
- Parmesan
Tip
Modern apps offer insight into the wild herb population in your region
Use modern apps for plant identification. They can offer you qualified insight into the wild herbs and wildflowers in your region. This gives you the opportunity to make great discoveries during a simple walk. You can find out more about these afterwards.
