Wild Ginger Identified

There are some wild edibles that we read about long before we find them. We have an ever-changing wishlist of plants we want to find, photograph, and taste in different stages of growth and in different seasons. Wild ginger is a plant we had unknowingly encountered in the past, admiring it for its unusual flower and pretty foliage. Upon becoming interested in the edible and medicinal properties of ginger, we have had a difficult time finding it in our immediate area. We finally got a tip on where to find large patches of wild ginger, and looked for it this weekend while in the western side of Connecticut. Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is not closely related to commercial ginger, but the flavor and aroma are similar, and the rhizome can be used in the same ways as commercial ginger. Wild ginger is found in moist, shady forests from southeastern Canada into the mountain regions of Georgia, along the east coast of the United States, and as far west as the Dakotas. The rhizomes like undisturbed, rich soil and can be dug from spring to autumn.

Wild ginger is a native herbaceous perennial that spreads through its rhizomes underground. Colonies of ginger will carpet the forest floor in dense patches. The pretty, heart-shaped leaves are 4"-7" wide, reach up to 12" tall, and grow in pairs. They rise directly from the rhizome on fuzzy leafstalks, and the leaf is dark green on top and lighter green on the underside. The leaves are veined and completely soft and fuzzy. Because of the handsome appearance of the foliage, wild ginger makes a good addition to a shady, moist area of your yard as native landscaping.

In April and May, a flower grows on a short stem from the crotch of each paired leafstalk. It is an unusual and beautiful bloom, often hidden beneath the leaves and laying against the ground. The color of the petal-like lobes is a dark maroon, or purplish-brown, and the interior of the flower is cream colored. Even the exterior of the flower and the curled back lobes are softly fuzzy like the leaf stems and leaves. The flower grows close to the ground because it is pollinated by ants. Often, you will have to clear away forest debris and leaves to find the flower. A fleshy, six-celled fruit will develop later in the spring.

The rhizome of wild ginger is what is gathered and eaten, and used for medicinal purposes. It often grows just beneath the top of the soil and is easy to dig. Collect just a small percentage, less than 10%, of the roots from a patch to assure the health of the colony. The rhizomes are branched and covered with many smaller roots, connecting much of a patch together. They are about the thickness of a pencil and brittle, snapping apart easily. The aroma is fragrant and spicy, and the rhizome can be prepared in many ways, using greater quantities than commercial ginger since the flavor of wild ginger is more subtle. It can be dried and powdered, candied, and used grated in recipes. Medicinally, wild ginger is used to settle an upset stomach and to alleviate gas, nausea, and fevers. Wild ginger has antibiotic and antifungal properties, and was used by Native American tribes as a seasoning and medicine.

Photo Collage - Flowers of Edibles, Edible Flowers

Color! That was my first thought when I saw this photo collage that Robert put together. Then I remarked that that was a lot of photos, and told me there were even more that he had not included. These are photos of two things - flowers of edible fruits and berries, or flowers that are edible themselves. 

Some of these blossoms fall into both categories, like roses that are fragrant and have edible petals and produce vitamin C packed, fleshy hips, and the flowers of the milkweed that are great as capers and eventually turn into the edible seed pods to stuff with cheese and bake. Some blooms are from a more medicinal flower, like the mullein or St. John's Wort. Most are the flowers of berries and fruits: wineberries, may apple, wild plums, wild blueberries, elderberries, wild strawberries, and autumn olives. There are even a few from plants that we dig for their roots, like evening primrose, field garlic, trout lily, dandelion, and Solomon's Seal. Finally, we have the lovely lilacs that can be candied, the black locust clusters that are great deep fried in batter, linden bracts for aromatic tea, red clover that's a sweet, nectar-filled trail nibble, and delicate violets that can be used in syrups and jelly.

Photo Collage - Dandelion

The humble dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is a naturalized invader from Europe that is found all over North America and Canada in hayfields, pastures, lawns, parks, empty lots and other disturbed areas. It is  an herbaceous perennial that grows all of its leaves from a basal rosette. Each leaf stalk has a lighter green midrib, and the leaf is often deeply lobed with tips that point back towards the base of the leaf. Flower stalks are hollow tubes, sometimes smooth and sometimes covered with a fine fuzzy wool. Each flower stalk carries a single composite flower head composed of many ray florets, forming the familiar yellow flower that dots the landscape. Shortly after blooming, often the next day, the white, fluffy head of seeds is formed. Each seed is attached to a pappus of fine hairs that works like a parachute to catch winds and disperse the seeds over wide areas. The taproot of dandelion is fleshy and long, becoming woody with age. It is difficult to eradicate dandelions from a lawn because the taproot is difficult to dig up in one piece, often breaking and still managing to grow back. All parts of dandelion exude a white sap when broken or cut.

Dandelion greens are a common food in Italy and France, and we can find them in our local grocery stores alongside the other leafy greens like kale and mustards. There is always a bit of bitterness associated with dandelion greens, but that level of bitterness can vary with climate, time of year, and habitat of the plant. Robert gathers the greens only in the early spring before the dandelions flower, or in the late fall. He gets them from a meadow next to a seasonally flooding river that receives full sun, and quickly boils them to wilt the greens and store them in the freezer for later use, adds them raw to salads, and cooks them in recipes calling for greens. As he will pick about 5 gallons of greens at a time and boil them in a big pot of water, he is then left with a big pot of dandelion tea filled with vitamins, minerals and iron, that he sweetens and chills to drink. When the flowers appear, we pick them in abundance to use the yellow petals in jelly, wine, and added to breads and muffins. Gillian will powder her face with pollen as she munches the flower heads fresh from the field. Robert digs the roots in the autumn to dry slowly in the oven and powder in the coffee grinder, then uses the powder as a coffee substitute. The smell of the roasting roots is similar to chocolate, and the "coffee" is bitter, but really good dressed up with sweetener and cream. Dandelions are versatile, common, and one of our favorite free, organic, and wild foods.

In two weeks, we are taking a little road trip to the Dandelion Festival in Ohio. We are looking forward to sampling some dandelion-filled foods, some music, crafts, and fun for kids. We  ordered the cookbook that Breitenbach Wine Cellars produces in collaboration with the Festival, and it is filled with fun recipes using the greens, flowers and roots.

Ramps Recipe - Ramps Langos

Carpet of ramps

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) season is just beginning to reach its peak, and we are able to pick grocery bags full of the aromatic green leaves in less than half an hour. Over the weekend, we ran across some limp and undersized ramps at Whole Foods, selling for $14.99/lb, which must have included the cost of shipping them from California. With the amount that are readily found here, locally, in Connecticut, it is quite a shame to see things like that in a store that supposedly promotes sustainable and local food.

Next comes the cleaning, chopping, and preserving of the leaves, along with many meals featuring ramps. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and breads have been enhanced by some form of ramps in our house since we have been foraging. Most of the leaves we pick will be sliced thinly and frozen, tightly packed in plastic containers to use all year. Some leaves will be dehydrated and powdered for adding to doughs and soup bases. Some more raw leaves will be pureed into pesto, and some just pureed with oil and frozen. The few bulbs that were pulled up by accident will be pickled to last in the fridge for a year. Lots of fresh leaves will be eaten in the next three weeks or so, until they can't be picked fresh anymore this season.

Sticky dough balls, bright green!

Langos (pronounced lon-gosh) is a Hungarian version of fried dough. The dough is made with starchy potatoes and fries up super crisp. Traditional toppings are sour cream, shredded smoked cheese, and a pungent sauce made from shredded garlic, vinegar, and salt. This is street food at its finest, served piping hot from the fryer on some paper, eaten standing up without utensils. The dough is incredibly sticky to work with, and it can be tempting to add too much flour. Each langos is shaped more by patting out the disk rather than rolling it before dropping it in the hot oil. I added some ramps leaves that were pureed in the food processor with a bit of olive oil for smoothness to the traditional dough, and Robert made the topping with finely chopped leaves and stems instead of garlic for more ramp-y goodness.

Fresh from the hot oil, resting on paper towels

Ramps Langos                                                    makes about 8- 8" disks

2 russet potatoes
1 tsp. instant dry yeast
1/4 c. warm milk
1/2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp pureed ramps leaves
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt

oil for deep frying
sour cream
shredded smoked cheese
ramps sauce

1. Peel, cook, and run the potatoes through a ricer to get lump-free mashed potatoes. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a mixer bowl, add the potatoes, yeast, warm milk, sugar, pureed ramps, flour, and salt. Mix with the dough hook until a sticky ball forms. Let the dough rest, covered, for 1 hour.
3. Punch down the dough and place it on a well-floured cutting board. Divide the dough into 8 pieces.
4. Heat about 1" of oil in a pot to 350°F.
5. Flatten out a piece of dough into a circle about 8" around and only about 1/4" thick. Gently place the dough in the hot oil, pressing down the center with some tongs as it starts to fry. Fry until browned, about 30 seconds, and flip the dough over, frying the other side another 30 seconds, or until browned. The langos will puff up quite a bit.
6. Drain the langos on some paper towels briefly, and serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheese, and the ramps sauce condiment.

Ramps Sauce


2 Tbsp finely chopped ramps stems and leaves
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp white vinegar

1. Very finely chop the ramps stems and leaves, almost into a paste. Place it in a bowl and sprinkle the salt on top, letting it rest for 20 minutes.
2. Add the water and the vinegar and stir. This is a very watery and loose condiment, meant to soak into the langos. Spoon over the hot langos, depending on taste.

Photo Collage - Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) might be one of the first wild edibles we tried a few years ago. It is incredibly abundant her in southern New England, and highly invasive. The flavor is indeed garlicky with a hint of hot mustard, with a bit of bitterness in the leaves at different stages of growth. Garlic mustard is a biennial herbaceous plant, meaning it does not produce flowers and seeds until its second season. Beginning in late fall, and early spring, the first year's growth of kidney-shaped leaves is produced in a basal rosette from a white taproot. These leaves are a bit tough and best suited for pestos and a recipe where they are chopped and cooked for awhile. The second year is when the flower stalk is produced, and the stalk bears triangular-shaped leaves that are more tender, but also more pungent. The flower clusters look a little bit like broccoli and the tiny white flowers are edible, with a hot bite. Shortly after the flowers pass, long seed pods called siliques grow, turning from green to brown. The seeds fall in mid-summer, leaving behind the dry, brown plant stalks.


The entire plant is edible to certain degrees. The white taproot from the first year basal rosette can be dug and grated like horseradish, or chewed raw for a sinus-stimulant! The leaves can be gathered to use like other greens in normal recipes, like a roulade, ravioli filling, or greens-stuffed bread. Using the garlicky and spicy flavor of the leaves to enhance food is done by adding the greens to a more neutral recipe like hummus, or an already spicy felafel. Some find the slight bitterness unpleasant, and that can be lessened by boiling the greens in two changes of water before using the greens. We like to eat the top 4" or so of the flower stalks, stripped of the leaves and stems, and boiled like pasta. We also like to eat the immature, green seed pods with some butter and salt. The seeds can be gathered quite easily in quantity, and we use them in a spicy mustard and dressings, and sprinkled on bread.

Garlic Mustard Recipe - Garlic Mustard Roulade

First year leaves

While garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is a completely edible weed, there are some who have differing opinions on its level of tastiness. We like to eat it in all stages of its growth, but prefer the second year's growth of triangular leaves growing along the flowerstalk to the first year's kidney-shaped leaves growing from the basal rosette. We also like to eat the more tender tops of the flower stalk, boiled and served with a little bit of butter and salt. We steam lots of the greens to keep in the freezer and add to other recipes that call for greens all winter long. The root has a nice horseradish-like flavor to be grated into dishes for a hot bite. The small, white flowers also have the hotness of the root, and make a good addition to a raw salad. The black, comma-shaped seeds can be ground to make a hot mustard or a tasty dressing.

Second year leaves and
flower stalks

Some people may be turned off by the touch of bitterness found in the leaves, but we find it adds a depth to food to have the bitter taste along with savory tastes. Boiling the leaves two times in clean water would be an option to removing the bitterness, rather than cooking something with raw leaves and disliking the bitter flavor of the recipe. Garlic mustard might not be for everyone, but it is nutritious, highly invasive and easily gathered in quantity. Add it to standard recipes that call for greens, like spanikopita, scrambled eggs, Indian saag, in a green hummus or felafel, and in pesto. Here is a recipe for a roulade, made with the blanched and chopped leaves. The center of the roulade can be filled with cheese, other cooked vegetables, or perhaps some cooked, shredded chicken breast along with the cheese for a hearty meal.


Garlic Mustard Roulade                            makes one 12" roll, about 8 servings

1 pound garlic mustard greens, flower stalks, and flowers
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
2c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat oven to 425° F. Prepare a sheetpan with parchment paper.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the garlic mustard greens for 1 minute. Shock the greens in ice water to stop the cooking process, and squeeze as much water from them as possible.
3. Add the cooked greens to a food processor. Add the nutmeg, salt,smoked paprika,granulated garlic, black pepper and egg yolks. Pulse until the garlic mustard greens are finely chopped.
4. In a mixer, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a spatula, fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the greens mixture, mixing until no more whites are seen. Then gently fold in the remaining egg whites, until the mixture is uniform.
5. Spread the garlic mustard and egg mixture evenly on the parchment paper covered sheetpan, leaving an inch of exposed paper around the entire edge. Bake until the egg is set, about 12-15 minutes.
6. Loosen the roulade from the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with whatever you are using as a filling, or just cheese.
7. Starting with the wider side, roll the roulade up like a jelly roll, ending seam side down. Bake an additional 10 minutes to melt the cheese and warm the filling.

Garlic mustard flowers

Hen of the Woods Recipe - Mushroom Burger

Last autumn was a fantastic hen of the woods (Grifola frondosa) season for us and many others in our region. Attending our weekly forays with CVMS gave us many opportunities to learn more about when and where to hunt for this great edible fungus. It was so abundant last year that people were giving it away every weekend, and we found many of our own giant, tender and tasty mushroom clusters. We dehydrated a lot, and froze many gallons more of the cut up fronds and solid cores. During the winter, we have been eating our bounty regularly, making gravies, stuffing breads, and making these hearty vegetarian burgers for dinner.

For this recipe, I used rice since I had it already cooked in the refrigerator. Any cooked grain can be used, like quinoa or barley. I started with frozen fronds and thawed them. The mushrooms released quite a bit of water that I squeezed out of the fronds before placing them into the food processor. This flavorful water can be used to make a vegetarian gravy later or just discarded. The amount of breadcrumbs varies, depending on how wet the fronds are, so use enough to make the burger patty hold its shape.


Mushroom Burger                                   makes about 8-12 patties

2 c. thawed Hen of the Woods fronds, excess water squeezed out
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp oil
1 c. cooked grain (rice, quinoa, barley)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3-5 Tbsp breadcrumbs

1. Heat the oven to 400° F. Line a sheetpan with parchment paper or oil the pan.
2. In a food processor, combine the squeezed mushroom fronds and onions and pulse until finely ground.
3. Heat the 1 Tbsp oil in a saute pan over medium heat, cook the ground mushrooms and onion for 5 minutes, stirring often, until browned.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cooked grains, salt and pepper. Allow this mixture to cool to room temperature.
5. Mix in beaten eggs and enough breadcrumbs until the mixture holds together. Form the patties and place them on the prepared sheetpan.
6. Bake the patties for 8 minutes, flip them over, and bake 5-8 minutes longer, until browned. Serve on a bun with burger condiments.