Make way for perennial vegetables! – Part 3 of 3: The beautiful adventurers of Eurasia and Africa

But, you will ask me, if we have known the edible and nutritious nature of these plants for a long time, why have they fallen into oblivion?

• With increasingly easy access to food in the markets, populations have abandoned their gathering habits, but not only that: attempts to domesticate certain species have not given satisfactory results to promote their cultivation. commercial.

On a small scale, we are more patient!

With its skewer of native Quebec plants, the 1^re part of this file on edible perennial plants has made the mouths of many gardeners water.

First^e part highlighted plants that come to us from elsewhere in the country and abroad, but which have never shown the desire to colonize the planet!

This 3^e and last part gives the spotlight to very adaptable plants which have spread in various environments in Europe as well as in Asia and Africa. They adapt so well that several of them escape cultivation wherever we install them in a garden, even in our cold regions!

From Eurasia

chervis

This little-known vegetable plant is said to have traveled from central and western Asia to Eastern Europe in the 15th century, but few writings refer to it.

However, we know that in the 16th century^e and XVIIth^e centuries, it was the delight of European kings, before being replaced by vegetable plants that were easier to prepare. However, this means depriving yourself of a unique taste and a good nutritional intake!

Under their skin, the long white roots harvested from October reveal immaculate white flesh with a deliciously sweet taste reminiscent of parsnips.

The young raw leaves are also edible and have a very interesting flavor in salads. The young etiolated shoots (subject to darkness) are also delicious in salads.

Chervis is sown in autumn, because the seed needs a cold period to germinate. The division of the stumps takes place early in the spring with the resumption of growth.

The chervis has branching stems with an erect habit which reach 1,5 m high in loose, fresh and deep soil. It is easy to grow and even tolerates damp or soggy soil.

Garden sorrel

This improvement of wild sorrel has naturalized as far as Quebec, particularly in the cooler regions of the south of the province.

A very hardy perennial plant, sorrel produces tender, bright green, not very fibrous leaves. Before going to seed, these leaves with their pleasant tangy flavor are delicious, raw in salads or sandwiches.

Older leaves make tasty soups or enhance sauces to accompany fish.

Like spinach and Swiss chard, raw sorrel is rich in oxalic acid and should be consumed in moderation. Cooking in water eliminates a large part of this acid and we can then consume more of it.

Avoid cast iron pans, as sorrel reacts with iron and takes on a bad taste.

It is a very rustic, perennial plant and very easy to grow in the vegetable garden.

wild horseradish

Introduced to North America during the colonial era, horseradish became naturalized in various places, but its origins come from southeastern Europe and southwest Asia.  

Its large, erect leaves are easily recognized and its pretty white flowers reseed happily to form large tillers along watercourses, in ditches and swales along roads and railways, in fallow lands and other sites. neglected.

In autumn, you can harvest its long roots without any hassle, because the broken root segments left in the ground grow back vigorously the following spring.

Very present in German and Polish cuisine, it was immediately adopted by the Scandinavians, the English, the Jews and several other peoples.

The spicy root with its peppery taste makes an excellent condiment that is used like mustard. Its burning effect is undeniable, but unlike that of hot pepper, it disappears between each bite.

The leaves, which are also edible, add bite to salads, while the leaves and roots add flavor to sauces, meat dishes, sauerkraut and red cabbage salad.

Additionally, horseradish contributes to good health with its high content of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

Scorzonera Hoffman's Schwarze

Unknown to the majority, scorzonera is fortunately return to goût of the day. This vegetable was cultivated by the Celts and the Germans who recognized its ownétésmédicinals against bubonic plague and snake bites. It was cultivated in fields in France and Italy from 1660 and a little later in Belgium.

It produces long cylindrical roots thick at goût incomparable. Their thin black skin hides white, firm and tender flesh which is similar in flavor to that of salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius).

Many prefer peel the scorsonère Aprèsl'to have boiled 20 to 30 minutes because the latex it contains is unpleasant to the touch and it stains your fingers when raw. In addition, it blackens quickly after peeling raw and must be sprinkled with vinegar or lemon juice to keep its beautiful white color.

Once cooked and peeled, the scorzonera root is used as such in flawless meat or with other vegetables, but it can also be sautée in the pan or fried.

Sa content proteins, fats, minerals (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, sodium) and vitamins (A, B1, C and E) make it a very nutritious vegetable. As this root does not contain starch, but inulin, it is ideal for diabetics.

From Eurasia and Africa

Lily White Sea Cabbage

Cabbage relative, this shore plant rich in potassium and vitamin C is native to Europe, northern Africa and southwest Asia.

Its fleshy, thick-stemmed leaves form an imposing taller 70-90 cm high which is adorned with clusters of White flowers in June and July. These flowers powerful scent honey attracts many beneficial insects to the garden.

The part of the plant most prized in cooking is its young shoots. Picked in spring when they measure 20 cm long, they are prepared like asparagus.

The young leaves are also edible and eaten raw or cooked like spinach. Those of Lily White are champions for being blanched and finer in taste than those of the species.

The flower buds also eaten raw or cooked like broccoli. About the root, we taste it raw, boiled or steamed.

Fond of sun, sea kale proliferates in rich and deep soils, stony or sandy, well drained, but never very dry, in the flower bed or vegetable garden.

Officinal marshmallow

Very common in wetlands and salt marshes across Eurasia and North Africa, the marshmallow has become naturalized in Quebec, particularly in the wet pastures of the Oka sector, along the Ottawa River.

From its roots a mucilage was extracted with which the well-known confectionery known as marshmallow was made. Today, marshmallows are made with gelatin of animal origin.

The edible parts of the plant are the leaves, flowers and roots.

The leaves are cooked like spinach, while the tender young leaves are added raw to salads. Because they are so pretty, flowers are wonderful decorations for salads and other dishes.

The more or less fleshy roots must be boiled before being eaten. They can then be sautéed in a pan, fried or served with chopped parsley and garlic.

All parts of the plant can replace flour or cornstarch to thicken sauces and soups.

Marshmallow is grown in full sun in deep, fertile, light, cool, moist and well-drained soil. It looks very pretty along fences, which avoids having to stake it in high winds. Direct sowing is done early in spring and the roots are harvested in autumn, from the second year onwards, when they contain the most mucilage.

Old-fashioned homemade marshmallow

Ingredients

– 15 g marshmallow root
– 1 l of water
– 500 g of crushed gum arabic   
– 500 g of icing sugar
– 2 egg whites
– Orange blossom water (or other scented essence, of your choice)
– Cornstarch and icing sugar

Prepare in advance

Wash and chop the marshmallow root. In a pot, boil the water and add the marshmallow root. Leave to infuse. Filter through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.

Add the crushed gum arabic to the still hot infusion. Heat over low heat, stirring, until dissolved with a wooden spoon.

Add the powdered sugar and let the mixture thicken, stirring constantly to obtain a syrup consistency.

Add 2 egg whites beaten until stiff and a little orange blossom water. Thicken over low heat while stirring.

Pour the batter into a mold dusted with a mixture of cornstarch and icing sugar and level. Leave to cool overnight and cut into squares.

Mauritanian mallow

In the Middle East and Eurasia, it has long been eaten raw or cooked, in salads, soups, stuffing and stews. Its softening properties have also been used to treat constipation and heartburn.

Its use in ornamental gardens has unfortunately eclipsed its place in cooking known since prehistoric times!

However, as with the pig, everything is good in purple!

• The tender young leaves and stems are a delight in salads;
• the mucilage contained in the leaves makes it possible to prepare naturally hearty soups and broths;
• the leaves prepared in the same way as spinach make tasty dishes;
• raw flower petals have a very sweet flavor that is appreciated in salads or desserts;
• flowers cooked in syrup are a treat with ice cream or biscuits;
• flower buds successfully replace peas;
• mature fruits are crunchy and served raw in a salad or like capers;
• the immature fruits, with a softer texture, have a good taste of fresh hazelnut; And
• the large cooked taproot flavors and thickens broths. A root decoction can replace egg white as a binder for making meringues.

Due to its very rapid growth in spring, do not hesitate to harvest the tips of the shoots at the start of the season to control its expansion.

The large mallow is one of the easiest plants to grow; give it sun and dry, drained soil, it will return it to you with generous harvests!

Little burnet

Native to Europe and certain parts of Asia and Africa, the little burnet is no stranger to our landscapes since it has naturalized across most of North America.

Brought in the luggage of the first English settlers, it counted among its admirers Thomas Jefferson (3^e President of the United States) and Francis Bacon (British philosopher and statesman).

The young leaves have a slight cucumber taste, popular in salads or as a seasoning in vinaigrettes. They even replace mint leaves in many recipes.

As a herbal tea, burnet was once used to relieve the symptoms of diarrhea. It is also attributed with antiseptic properties. In addition, it is rich in vitamin C and tannins.

In the garden, its pretty pinnate leaves, sometimes composed of 12 pairs of rounded leaflets, form a dense mass topped with attractive dark red bud inflorescences.

The burnet is a rhizomatous perennial that grows up to 50 cm in height. It prefers neutral and dry soil, which can be calcareous.

Italian arugula Sylvetta 

The species naturalizes easily, which explains its distribution in various climates and continents. It likes soils rich in humus, but also grows in cracks in concrete or in wasteland.

Its excellent resistance to cold makes it a very interesting choice for Quebec. In addition, it does not go to seed quickly, allowing its flowers to be picked over a longer period.

Its leaves have a deliciously spicy, nutty taste that is more pronounced than that of common arugula. Raw, they spice up salads well, but are not their basic ingredient.

We also put it in sandwiches, on slices of meat with a strong flavor like liver and in pestos. Older leaves are added to meat and cheese dishes and are delicious braised.

The flowers with a sweeter and less spicy taste embellish the plates with their beautiful bright yellow.

This easy-to-grow plant reseeds spontaneously to ensure the survival of the tiller. Germination takes place in autumn and the young plants flower the following season.

Plants may die at the end of the season, like biennials, or produce buds at the base of the stems at the end of winter. Also, the stems should not be pruned very short in spring.

Red clover

Known and appreciated since antiquity, cultivated red clover probably originated in Spain, but has spread across several continents for so long that it is considered a native plant there.

In Canada, this clover is associated with millet in forage crops, because it restores to the soil the nitrogen that millet takes from it. In traditional Chinese and Russian medicine, the reputation of its medicinal properties is well established.

However, its nutritional qualities are less known. For example, raw or cooked leaves (without petiole) have a nice green pea taste. They are added to salads or served in stir-fries or soups. Their intake of protein, vitamin C and iron is not negligible.

Also, the pretty flowers contain a sweet nectar that we inhale with delight during walks in nature in dry and sunny weather. They also decorate dishes with panache and are used in making flavored donuts (remove the chalice).

A robust perennial, it grows in fields and meadows and has become naturalized in populated places. It is easy to grow in ordinary soil and very popular with bees and other pollinating insects.

See part 1 and 2:

Make way for perennial vegetables! – Part 1 of 3: Quebec women – indigenous, naturalized or heritage

Make way for perennial vegetables! – Part 2 of 3: The beautiful ones from elsewhere are more sedentary