It is the season for harvesting wild herbs from the fields. Some may call them “weeds” but many of the spontaneous plants that grow in a biodiverse field are edible, delicious and packed with nutrients! Walking through the fields and collecting greens is one of the ways that elders stay active and connected to their neighborhoods and communities. This is the Mediterranean lifestyle.
Yesterday, I ran into my elder neighbor who was walking home after having just collected two big bags of field greens. This woman is my hero. She must be in her 80’s and she is one of the strongest people that I know. She keeps the grass on her land tidy with a weed-wacker (and it is steep!) and maintains the best gardens. We chatted for awhile and when I was taking my leave, she insisted that I take one of the bags of field greens. Did I mention that she is also very generous?
How do you prepare field greens, Tuscan style?
The most difficult part of preparing field greens is washing them. I like to fill my sink up with cold water and let them soak for awhile to loosen the dirt. After draining the water, I rinse each small plant while removing any grass, dead leaves or whatever else hitch-hiked its way along (a small snail).
Meanwhile I am bringing a big pot of water to boil. I salt the water to aid in keeping the green color to the leaves. When they are all clean and the water is boiling, I toss the plants in the pot. They need to cook for about 15 minutes, or until the stalks of some of the tougher varieties are soft.
Once you are sure that they are cooked, you drain the water from the greens. Don’t worry if the water is brownish—that is normal! Let the greens continue to drain in a colander while they cool down. Once they are cool enough to touch, squeeze the extra water out and shape the greens into balls.
These balls stay good in the refrigerator for a couple of days or can even be frozen. When you are ready to serve them, chop up the ball with a big knife. Sauté a clove of garlic in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then add the greens, sautéing them for about 5 minutes. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. You can follow this same recipe for most greens—spinach, Swiss chard, broccoli rabe are all very popular here—but when it’s done with fresh wild greens from your local land, there is something very special about it…and delicious!
Buon appetito!
