Wild cuisine: wild herbs on the plate

We can find them right on our doorstep, in the garden, by the wayside or in the forest and they have been used as medicinal plants for many centuries: Wild fruits and wild herbs grow in the wild, untreated and unadulterated fresh. Turning to wild nature and appreciating it helps us to treat nature with respect. Because informed and knowledgeable people treat it with much more care.

Rich in a wide range of flavours and aromas, natural treasures can be used in the kitchen in a variety of ways: from sweet to nutty to bitter and tart, they have a taste for everything. And they always contain exactly the nutrients and vital substances that are particularly good for our bodies at the right time of year.

For example, the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries. It has a positive effect on the human body due to its high vitamin content, such as vitamins A, C and K, as well as the bitter substances it contains. All parts of the plant can be used in the kitchen. From March to June, the young rosettes of leaves add a lovely bitter note and chicory-like flavour to fresh salads or vegetable side dishes. The petals can be preserved in vinegar or used in desserts or syrups. The roots are a tasty substitute for horseradish or, when roasted, a savoury alternative to coffee.

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is probably the best-known edible wild plant today and can be used in many different ways in the kitchen - from pesto to pasta dishes and sauces. From March to April, the young leaves are used in salads, as a vegetable or as a garlic substitute or the flowers are used for vinegars. They are somewhat milder in flavour than the leaves and from June the green seeds can be used as a pepper substitute.

The stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a very old traditional vegetable plant. It grows everywhere in human settlements, tastes very aromatic and spicy and is suitable for many recipes. The young shoots or leaves can be harvested from March to autumn. The leaves contain many minerals such as magnesium, potassium, iron, silicon, vitamins A, C and E as well as carotenoids. They are also very rich in protein. The leaves can only be eaten when they have been thoroughly rinsed in cold water and rolled in a kitchen towel with a whisk, as this breaks the stinging hairs.

The small flowers of the daisy (Bellis perennis) have a delicately spicy and nutty flavour and are particularly suitable for edible decorations, raw in salads and herb quark, and steamed in soups. When dried, the flowers, which are available for most of the summer, can also be enjoyed as tea.

Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) is a perennial plant that grows up to 40 cm tall. Whether raw or gently cooked, the plant makes a delicious vegetable, similar to spinach and tasting slightly of parsley. The young shoots are tasty raw in salads and herb dips, the older leaves and stems finely chopped as a steamed vegetable (10 to 20 minutes cooking time, collapses like spinach), as well as in soups or pancakes. Goutweed contains a lot of vitamin C, potassium, carotene and iron.

The wild carrot (Daucus carota subsp. carota), which is widespread in Asia, North Africa and throughout Europe, is the ancestor of today's carrot. Its young leaves and flowers are ideal for flavourful salads or for seasoning soups. The root has been one of the oldest cultivated vegetables since the earliest civilisation. It is very rich in vitamins A, C, B and carotene as well as alkaline minerals.

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is widespread in Europe up to the North Cape. All sorrel species are edible when young. From March to October, all parts of the plant are edible: the young shoots and fresh, uninjured leaves taste very delicate raw with a sour lemon flavour. The leaves can be eaten with other herbs as a salad and add a delicate flavour to desserts. It contains a lot of vitamin C, carotene, iron and tannins and is considered a blood purifier.

The delicate chickweed (Stellaria media) is suitable as a salad, for smoothies or cooked as a vegetable. This clove plant outperforms normal lettuce many times over in terms of the richness of its ingredients. In addition to many other valuable ingredients, it has twice as much calcium, three times as much potassium and magnesium and seven times as much iron as lettuce.

The aromatic ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) shows its benefits in the medicine cabinet and in the kitchen. It can be used in many different ways in the kitchen, either in fresh form from the young shoots of the plant or in dried form, either in a herbal salt, a little in herbal lemonade, as soup greens or as a wild vegetable. This very aromatic plant contains essential oils and bitter substances. However, the flavour of ground ivy should not be underestimated when using it; just a few leaves are enough to bring out a very intense flavour in the dish.

Please always collect wild herbs very carefully!

There are a few rules to follow when collecting wild herbs. The most important thing: only collect the plants you really know. Some poisonous herbs also grow here, such as hemlock, which is very easy to confuse with the non-poisonous meadow chervil:

• Herbs that grow near roads, on fertilised meadows or along dog-walking routes should be left alone.

• No plants may be taken into nature reserves.

• Only ever collect small quantities so that the plants can continue to grow and reproduce undamaged.

• Do not pull out herbs by the roots, but cut them off with a knife or scissors.

• Airy baskets or linen bags are suitable for collecting.

• The best time to harvest wild herbs is spring and summer, when the leaves are still very tender.

• If you have your own garden, you can plant wild herbs there.

• Herbs are best harvested around midday. This is when the essential oil content and therefore the active ingredient content is at its highest.

Always use wild herbs fresh!

Like all herbs, the flowers, leaves and shoots of wild herbs should be processed quickly. The herbs can also be kept for a few days in the fridge wrapped in damp kitchen paper or in a tea towel. They can be kept for longer if they are frozen. However, this loses some of the flavour. To freeze the washed and dried herbs, either put them whole in freezer bags and seal well or cut them into small pieces and put them in ice cube trays with a little water. Always label the herbs well, as they are easy to mix up when frozen. If not all the herbs can be used at once, they can easily be dried in a dehydrator at 35 to 40 degrees Celsius and can be stored in a dark, sealable jar for the whole year.

Delicious recipe ideas:

Wild garlic bread