Chickweed is not a herb like many others. Not one that is only occasionally mixed into food in small amounts. Anyone can get a good bite of chickweed! The most beautiful thing is their presence in the salad. Whether as a delicate soloist or a modest companion.

Chickweed gives the salad a slightly nutty note

The taste of Chickweed

Taste cannot be expressed exactly in words, because it is often the fine nuances that count. How can chickweed be described to give someone who has never tasted it a good idea? Not at all. It is described as tasty and mild. That should be enough to arouse curiosity. Try this herb yourself.

Chickweed as a salad ingredient

The mild taste and the tenderness of the leaves and flowers qualify this herb for regular use in salads. Chickweed's restrained taste allows it to be eaten in large quantities at once.

It provides good-tasting greens that obey all the rules when it is prepared, just like the lettuce we know.

tips

The tender leaves are still plump and juicy after picking. The longer the chickweed is stored, the more the quality suffers. It is not a case for the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, it does not stay fresh for long.

salad variations

How you prepare the chickweed is up to you:

  • pure with a vinaigrette
  • mixed with other leaf salads
  • in combination with chopped vegetables or fruit
  • with other salad toppings

Basically, you can choose any leaf salad recipe you like and replace the specified type of lettuce with chickweed. Chickweed is now also served by many star chefs, which proves how enriching the herb can complement our dishes.

Notes for collecting

You will look in vain for chickweed in supermarkets. Yet. Maybe that will change over time. If you don't cultivate the weed in your own garden or if it has happened to settle on its own, you can discover it everywhere in the wild. When collecting, keep the following points in mind:

  • do not collect near busy roads
  • Avoid dog walks
  • become familiar with the identifiers
  • Watch out for plant “doubles”.
  • to avoid confusion with poisonous plants
  • pick immediately before need
  • it can also be harvested during the flowering period

Wash chickweed thoroughly

Especially if the chickweed is not heated, as is the case when preparing a salad, it must be washed thoroughly beforehand. Clean the greens in a bowl of water, in several courses if necessary. Then let the herb drain briefly. It can also be gently dried in a salad spinner.

Why the salad is so healthy

If you eat chickweed without heating it, you will benefit from many valuable ingredients. Because in the salad these remain almost completely intact. These include the following minerals and vitamins:

  • potassium
  • silica
  • copper
  • magnesium
  • phosphorus
  • Vitamin A
  • vitamin C

The fresher the chickweed is on the table, the more of these ingredients are still present in it. In addition, there are the so-called secondary plant substances, the importance of which for our health is only now being slowly discovered.

Category:

Herbs