The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts; How to Find, Identify, and Cook Them

by Katie Letcher Lyle

• ISBN13: 9781592282883
• ISBN10: 1592282881
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 2004-04-01
• Publisher: Lyons Press

Summary

Edible wild plants, mushrooms, fruits, and nuts grow wild along roadsides, in country fields, and in urban parks. All manner of leafy greens, mushrooms, and herbs that command hefty prices at the market are bountiful outdoors and absolutely free for the taking. But to enjoy them you must know, when to harvest, how to recognize, and how to prepare and eat them. The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts provides everything you need to know about these wild treasures. Included is information on the most commonly found of these wild comestibles, going beyond a field guide's description to provide folklore and mouth-watering recipes for each entry, such as wild asparagus pizza, fiddlehead soup, blackberry mousse, and elderberry pie. This fully illustrated guide is the perfect companion for hikers, campers, and anyone who enjoys eating the good food of the earth. With The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants, Mushrooms, Fruits, and Nuts in hand, you'll never walk through a field again without casting your eyes about with dinner in mind.

Author Biography

Katie Letcher Lyle's articles on wild food have appeared in Americana, Country Journal, and Blue Ridge Country. She is an award-winning cook and the author of eleven books, most recently The Wild Berry Book. She lives in Virginia

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Gearing Up	p. 8
Green Things	p. 13
Asparagus	p. 14
Asparagus Pizza
Asparagus and Pasta
Chicory	p. 17
Roasted Chicory Root
Dandelion	p. 19
Traditional Dandelion Salad
Italian-Style Nouvelle Dandelion Salad
Fiddleheads	p. 21
French Fiddleheads
Chilled Fiddleheads
Fiddlehead Soup
Lambs'-Quarters	p. 24
Lambs'-Quarters Bisque or Soup
Lambs'-Quarters with Potatoes
Land Cress	p. 26
Greens and Pot Likker
Milkweed	p. 29
Boiled Milkweed
Mustard	p. 30
Mustard Greens
Poke	p. 32
Old-Fashioned Appalachian Poke Sallet
Fried Poke
Sorrel	p. 34
Sorrel Soup, 1898
Stinging Nettles	p. 36
Steamed Nettles
Creamed Nettles
Watercress	p. 39
Spring Salad
Watercress Bisque
Watercress Sandwiches
Wild Onions and Garlic	p. 42
Ramps with Eggs
Onions with Pasta
Fungi: Mushrooms	p. 46
Morels	p. 48
Morels and Wild Rice Casserole
Morel or Other Mushroom Souffle
Puffballs	p. 52
Puffball Slices Saute
Chanterelles	p. 54
Stewed Chanterelles
Sulfur Shelf	p. 55
Creamed Sulfur Shelf
Funghi Italiano
Oyster Mushrooms	p. 57
Faux Oyster Stew
Boletus	p. 58
Porcini in Puff Pastry
Grilled Porcini
Coprinus	p. 60
Sauteed Coprini
Mushroom Pizza
Field Mushrooms	p. 62
Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken with Gravy
Mushroom Catsup
Mushroom Quiche
Escalloped Mushrooms
Fruits	p. 66
Apples	p. 68
Fried Apples
Apple Cider
Apple Chutney
Crab Apples	p. 71
Pickled Crabs
Apple/Crab Apple Sauce
Apple/Crab Apple Butter
Crab Apple Jelly
Blackberries and Raspberries	p. 74
Blackberry Jelly
Berry Mousse
Iced Raspberry Vinegar
Blueberries and Huckleberries	p. 80
Blueberry Buckle
Blueberry Coffee Cake
Huckleberry Cake with Hard Sauce
Peach-Blueberry Cobbler
Cherries	p. 85
Cherry Sauce
Cherry Bounce
Cranberries	p. 88
Cranberry Sauce
Orange-Cranberry Conserve
Elderberries	p. 91
Elder-Flower Fritters
Elderberry Pie
Figs	p. 93
Fig Ice Cream
Figgy Pudding
Grapes	p. 96
Grape Juice
Dolmades (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Spiced Wild Grape Jelly for Venison
Fox or Wild Grape Jelly
Grape-Stuffed Chicken
Pears	p. 101
Lizzie's Pear and Ginger Preserves
Plums	p. 103
Plum Jam
Quinces	p. 105
Quince Marmalade
Strawberries	p. 108
Wild Strawberry Jam
Fresh Berries for Winter
Strawberry Souffle
Strawberry Shortcake
Berry Vinegar
Flowers & Herbs	p. 114
Rose Hips	p. 115
Rose Hip Jelly
Rose Hips for Winter
Candied Rosebuds
Violets	p. 117
Candied Violets
Mint	p. 119
Mint Tea
Mint Jelly
Mint Julep
Catnip	p. 122
Catnip Mice
Catnip Tea
Nasturtiums	p. 125
Faux Capers
Marigolds	p. 126
Flower Teas
Nuts	p. 128
Black Walnuts and Butternuts	p. 130
Walnut or Butternut Torte
Pickled Green Walnuts
Hickory Nuts and Pecans	p. 134
Beechnuts	p. 135
Nut Pie
Coconuts	p. 137
Coconut Custard Pie
Unbelievably Easy Coconut Pie
Coconut Bacon
Miscellaneous Foraging	p. 140
Indian Corn	p. 141
Country Corn Bread
Grand National Spoon Bread Champion
Hoecakes
Chess Pie
Jerusalem Artichokes	p. 146
Jerusalem Artichoke Salad
Jerusalem Artichokes au Gratin
Wild Rice	p. 148
Boiled Wild Rice
Popped Rice
Oriental Salad
Horseradish	p. 151
Prepared Horseradish
Sassafras	p. 153
Sassafras Tea
File
Ginseng	p. 155
Ginseng Tea
Ginseng Cordial
Maple Syrup	p. 160
Maple Sugar Cubes or Leaves
Sublime Maple Fondant
Maple Nut Meringue Goodies
Maple Custard
Avocados	p. 164
Guacamole
Cream of Avocado Soup
Prickly Pear	p. 166
Prickly Pear Pads
Prickly Pear Jam
Watermelon Rind	p. 167
Watermelon Rind Pickles
Foragers' Garlicky Hot Pickles
Annual Foragers' Calendar	p. 170
The Last Word	p. 173
Appendix: Basic Recipes	p. 175
Beef Broth
Chicken Broth
Vegetable Broth
Mayonnaise
Salad Dressing
Souffle
Pizza
Quiche
Piecrust
Baking Mix
Cream Sauce
Bibliography	p. 185
Index	p. 189
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.