The Home - Cooking with Wild Violet Leaves

 

    Wild violets are just starting to be plentiful and will continue to be for many weeks. While most people notice the gorgeous white to light-or-deep purple blossoms, the leaves also hold much promise for the kitchen.

    Violet leaves can be eaten raw or cooked.

  • saute
  • steam
  • use in green salads
  • chop and add to egg, ham, chicken, or potato salad
  • stir into soup for densely packed nutrients

HARVEST:

    Haircut style is the best way to harvest violet leaves. Just grab some between fingers, lift, and trim with scissors.

WARNING NOTE:

    The flowers, stems, and leaves are perfectly safe to eat, but the roots and seeds are toxic.


RECIPE: POTHERB VIOLET GREENS

  1. Wash and cut up the leaves.
  2. Cook in simmering water about 12 minutes. A little bacon or fatback can be added to cooking water for flavor.
  3. Serve with butter. 

RECIPE: BACON & EGG GREEN SALAD

  1. Wash and chop violet and young dandelion greens.
  2. Dry them with paper towel or a tea towel or use a salad spinner.
  3. Place in a bowl and top with cooked bacon or bacon bits and slices of hard boiled eggs.

RECIPE: VIOLET LEAF SOUP (and a Chinese Version)

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups fresh violet leaves
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1-2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 TBSP butter
  • 1 1/2 cups stock
  • salt and papper to taste
  • extra violet flowers and leaves for garnish

  1. Melt the butter in a pot and add the violet leaves, garlic, and onion.
  2. Cover and cook until the onions are soft.
  3. Carefully add stock and heat up to a good simmer.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Use an emersion blender to blend the soup or take it off the heat and let cool slightly before blending in a regular blender. Return to the pot and heat.
  6. Serve and top with violet flowers and leaves as garnish.
  7. To serve as a traditional Chinese soup, do not blend the soup and add cooked pork meatballs to the soup before serving hot.
  8. Serves 2.


RECIPE: VIOLET CHICKWEED HUMMUS

Ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/8 cup lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
  • salt to taste (optional)
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • 1 can of chickpeas (15 oz.) drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups rinsed chickweed, patted dry
  • 1 1/2 cups rinsed violet leaves, patted dry
  1. In a blender, blend the tahini and lemon juice.
  2. Add the oil, greens, spices, and garlic.
  3. Add half the chickpeas and blend. 
  4. Scrape down the sides of the blender and add the remaining chickpeas. 
  5. Add a little water a bit at a time if the hummus is too thick. Blend until smooth and creamy.
RECIPE: JAPANESE VIOLET SALAD

Ingredients:

  • 3 TBSP nuts and seeds
  • 1 TBSP nut or olive oil
  • 1 TBSP soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 TBSP maple syrup
  • 1 cup green soybeans/ edamame
  • 8 oz. violet leaves (trim stems off)
  1. If the edamame are froze, follow directions to cook them (usually 5 minutes in boiling water) and then cool them in the refrigerator.
  2. Chop the nuts and seeds. Toast them briefly in a dry frying pan to release their flavor and oils.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the syrup, oil, and soy sauce together. Add nuts to coat.
  4. Place the greens in a bowl, add edamame, and top with the nut dressing mixture.
  5. Serves 4.



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