Biting into Spring with Hiroko’s Sauce (Hiroko’s American Kitchen)

Posted on Apr 30, 2013 in Hiroko's Blog

On Saturday’s farmers’ market I purchased four (4) spring wild greens/weeds. They are dandelion, chickweed (very grassy, slight bitter and also slight sweet), water cress (very spicy; completely different taste from the cultivated one) and upland cress (very bitter and has wasabi like spiciness; and also). Astringency and bitterness which all of these greens have are characteristics to wild spring glasses. I learned to appreciate these negative flavors since I was small. My mother always told me that eating astringent and bitter greens at the beginning of spring is a very good thing to our body. They work as detoxification of the body and also are high in antioxidant.

I made the delightful Spring Salad with my spicy miso sauce dressing (Hiroko’s American Kitchen). The strong grassy, bitter and astringency flavor of these greens pair beautifully with the strong characteristic of the dressing. Every bite of this salad reminded me of early spring. I am going to include this salad on my May 5th demonstration for Food Book Fair in Brooklyn. Please join me at the demo. I will be giving out Miso Master Miso, best miso in America, to the people who answered my questions correct at the end of the demo!

One tip: after removing the rubber band or string from a bunch of each green, soak them in cold water for 20 minutes or so. It loosens up dirt and mud attached to the roots, so the cleaning is very easy.

A little more to go if you are with me: Here are some information on Chickweed from on-line source; www.wildmanstevebrill.com. I have never tasted/purchased this weed before, so am curious about it.

Excellent source of vitamins A, D, B complex, C, and rutin (an accompanying flavonoid), as well as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper and silica.

Applied externally, finely chopped chickweed soothes irritated skin. It is good for cuts, minor burns, eczema and rashes.

Make chickweed infusion, pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup of chickweed. Cover and let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain and drink it hot. The tea promote the flow of urine. It also cleanse the kidneys and urinary tract.

I will continue to buy Chickweed at farmers’ market and enjoy it in other preparations as well until the season ends this spring.