Chickweed: Taste the Stars
Chickweed has five petals so deeply lobed that they look like 10! The Eurasian native, now at home all over the world, shuns heat and humidity.
Compact chickweed in early spring before winter grass has greened.
As spring progresses chickweeds’ stems grow longer and lush with deeply green leaves, and its tiny, white flowers open in profusion.
By mid-spring those stems are lankier, the leaves are smaller, paler, and more spaced out, and its habit is defined more by copious seed capsules (beloved by birds), rather than blooms.
Early spring chickweed with hairy bittercress and henbit.
I feel rich whenever I collect chickweed.
A simple garnish (with ground ivy) atop eight-minute eggs, with toasted sesame oil and chile.
In South Africa lovers of morogo and imifino (mixed, wild, cooked greens) will pounce on this prostrate plant and add it at the very end to the pot, draping it as a loving flourish over the other cooked greens.
Blanched chickweed atop a six-egg, buttery frittata.
Blanched chickweed and field garlic with spaghettini and a salt-cured egg yolk.
Revive wilted chickweed in cool water, then dry and keep cold until needed. How to collect tender chickweed: To save yourself time and a Sisyphean sorting back in the kitchen, collect only the tender stems of chickweed.
Chickweed mayonnaise potatoes with bittercress.
This delicately aromatic, cornsilk-tasting, and easy mayonnaise (use store-bought or make your own) is delicious slathered across cold, boiled new potatoes. Unwrap, untangle the compressed greens, and chop them exceptionally finely.
Chickweed mayonnaise
Serve with boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, asparagus, or spread across sandwiches before topping with slices of cucumber.