Spring Greens Saute & Japanese Knotweed in the Kitchen
herbs such as Nettles, Garlic Mustard, Chickweed, and Dandelion, however one often overlooked wild food that doesn’t always make the foraging basket is Japanese Knotweed (Reynoutria japonica syn Fallopia japonica syn Polygonum cuspidatum- so many names!). This plant tends to be typecast as either a supportive herb for those suffering from Lyme disease or as an “invasive,” but it’s also a wonderful food as medicine.
The young shoots are a perennial vegetable that can be harvested from early spring through late summer/early fall. True to its reputation for tenaciousness, each time the plant’s shoots are cut they grow right back! Often in a matter of days. When harvested in an ongoing cycle like this, one patch can provide a multitude of meals. Just like the roots, the shoots are quite high in resveratrol- the potent antioxidant red wine is so famous for, making Japanese Knotweed an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and heart-healthy wild food that’s incredibly abundant in the North America and even worldwide.
A few harvesting considerations…. Be sure to harvest from a clean spot as Japanese Knotweed accumulates toxins and heavy metals found in the soil and can even be used as a bioremediator. Bring your ethical harvesting methods, even to plants considered “invasive,” and always be sure to leave a few shoots so at least some can reach reproductive maturity, as continued harvest of every shoot for an entire growing season can weaken the plant, unless the intention is to remove it from an area, in which case continued harvest throughout the season of every shoot will help accomplish this. The young shoots are the most tender and ideal size is between 6-12” tall, however once the shoots get taller the tips remain tender and the top 3-4” can be eaten and chopping the stalks right to the ground will promote the growth of tender new shoots. The leaves and stems cannot start new plants so they’re fine to compost if needed, but even the tiniest bit of the roots can create new plants so care should be taken to dispose of those thoroughly. The simplest way to harvest is with a knife, cutting the shoots just above the soil, leaving the roots in the ground.
Flavor wise, the shoots taste kind of like a tart asparagus with the faintest hint of bitter and some mild astringency. It’s a spring-y and delicious flavor that has been described as “the taste of rain” and is eaten as a traditional wild spring edible in parts of Japan. They can be eaten raw or cooked and are a bit more sour and sharp in their flavor when raw and many wild food aficionados use young Japanese Knotweed shoots as a rhubarb substitute in berry compotes, but they can also be cooked with savory flavors, like this dish- they’re versatile. Try them sauteed with a few other abundant spring greens or asparagus, along with some tomatoes, which aren’t necessarily ij season in the spring but really compliment the sour flavor of the Knotweed. A fresh squeeze of lemon really helps bring out the sour flavor too. Enjoy this dish as a side with eggs, as a vegetable dish to compliment dinner, or mixed with pasta.
Spring Greens Sauté
Ingredients:
1 cup Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
1 cup Dandelion Greens
5 Japanese Knotweed shoots, with the outer leaves removed (you can leave the young leaves at the tips of the shoots and the leaves are edible if you’d rather leave them)
6-8 cherry tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
Directions:
Wash all ingredients well, coarsely chop, and sauté in olive oil for 3-4 minutes until the greens turn bright green. Turn off the heat and press 2 fresh garlic cloves into the blend and mix well. Nettles goes well in this too! Add salt and black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
