Digest

takadi recently discovered the green purslane growing as a weed in his yard. “I just went out and picked off a stem from one and popped it in my mouth,” says takadi. “Peppery and slightly sweet, with a slight okra-goo finish. Yum.” Purslane is a common ingredient in Mexican stews, says Leucadian, who adds that it is called verdolagas in Spanish. Another use in Mexican cuisine, says Aromatherapy, is to dress lightly boiled purslane with lemon juice, salt, and diced jalapeños.

Many Chowhounds like the delicate new leaves of dandelions, either raw or cooked like other greens. soypower’s mom and her church friends like dandelion roots, rather than the leaves. “My mom says the roots are much tastier and less bitter than the leaves and are supposed to be very nutritious. She dips them in a spicy Korean sauce (chogochujang) and eats them raw with rice.” The leaves are also tasty stewed in soy sauce and garlic.

Several weeds are commonly known as sour grass, including sheep sorrel and yellow wood sorrel. These can be delicious in small amounts, but avoid eating them in large quantities, warns Ruth Lafler, as too much oxalic acid, the chemical that makes sour grass sour, can be poisonous.

torty recommends exploring local groups that might give a walking tour class to help people identify wild edibles. “Trying to match greens from pics on the net can be iffy,” says torty. “Hands on demonstration is so much better.”

Board Link: Edible weeds

Tatume (sometimes spelled tatuma) are a slightly oblong type of Mexican zucchini with light green-gray skin. They have meaty, nutty flesh, says toodie jane, and are a summer squash, but can also be allowed to mature on the vine for use as a winter squash. They’re far superior to the Black Beauty variety of zucchini commonly seen in the supermarket, says toodie jane: “Try these if you see them in a Latino market. So good.”

Board Link: Tatume/Tatuma = Mexican zukes

Tarragon has a “pleasant, sweet flavor that works with chicken, shrimp, and tuna salads that are not otherwise over-spiced,” says Veggo, who adds that tarragon butter is an ideal accompaniment for burgers. Just mix tarragon into melted butter then refrigerate it. Caroline1 suggests an alternative method: Mash the tarragon into room-temperature butter, roll it into a log in plastic wrap, and freeze to preserve maximum flavor. You can dress grilled meat with big slabs of the stuff.

smartie likes tarragon in creamed soups, “such as mushroom, or carrot and parsnip.” WCchopper loves pickled beets in a tarragon-infused white wine vinegar, and goodhealthgourmet agrees that tarragon does wonderful things for beets.

The classic use for tarragon, says Caroline1, is béarnaise sauce, which is basically a hollandaise sauce with tarragon flavoring the egg yolks. “Quirky soul that I am,” says Caroline1, “I LOOOVE eggs Benedict with béarnaise sauce instead of hollandaise.”

Board Link: Dried Tarragon