If you are like me, the idea of foraging your own food brings out the earthy adventurer in you and gets your mouth watering for a taste of true life. I smile at the thought of strolling through the woods to come across a brook lined with tasty little edibles, ones that have grown untainted by today's modern farming methods and are bursting with the integrity of the earth, the sun and the rain. Ones that haven't had their genes altered so that someone could give them a pesticide bath without killing them. Ones that fill me with the roots of who I am and where I came from.
And then I come back down to reality, and remember how I didn't receive a degree in Botany and that nature is full of potent little poisons that mask themselves in very beautiful ways. This is an unfortunate reality. So I consider my options.....do I go on a seemingly endless journey of foraging lessons, or do I bury my nose in a library of encyclopedias? Sounds like an over achievers errand to me. And then Eureka! How about I start my own little corner of the world foraging extravaganza in my very backyard!
Does this sound mystical in some way to you? Do you see unicorns? Well then I have made my point! All the beauty of the Earth as we should know it is right at our finger tips!
Yes I am talking about your very own vegetables and herbs in your very own corner of the globe. It is as simple as a trip to the garden center or any place that sells edible plants.
Take it to whatever level works for you. Start small and work your way up. Planting a garden can be anything you want it to be, however big or small. Grow your favorite herbs in pots or plant them in your flower beds. Most herbs are perennial or biennial (Just google the herb you want and type in perennial or annual and the info. will come up). Many herbs have bright beautiful flowers and would be a wonderful addition to any landscape. So this Spring when you make your trip to the garden center, consider the value you will get from edible herbs and how fun it would be to go out and snip off some fresh sage or rosemary for tonight's dinner.
RECIPES
Fresh Basil Pesto
4 cups of fresh basil leaves, stems removed
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of pine nuts
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil in the food processor, blend until you reach a smooth paste. Slowly add in olive oil through spout while pulsing to combine.
*** Use pesto on grilled fish or chicken. Add to salads for a flavor punch. Substitute other herbs or greens in place of basil such as cilantro or arugula.***
Roasted Garlic and Sage Oil
2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
8 whole garlic cloves , peeled
2 cups of fresh sage leaves, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 350. In a small glass casserole dish combine the garlic, oil, salt and pepper and cover with aluminum foil, roast for 30-40 minutes or until garlic is starting to brown on all sides. Stir around the garlic every 10 or 15 minutes so it will cook evenly and not burn. Once garlic is fully roasted add the sage and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
** Serve on your favorite ravioli or pasta. Use as a bread dipping oil. Drizzle over some roasted potatoes or butternut squash.***
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