You know how sometimes you ‘re stuck in a rut with your forages, only finding greenery that is merely edible but not really tasting like much? Sure they make good fillers for stews and pies, sure they have some vitamins, but ultimately they are just a bit…bland.
Well, I was stuck in a rut like this for a while. Dandelions, sea beet, ground elder, nettles…All very good, especially if found in the winter when nothing much is happening anyway. But I was bored. I wanted to find something with a punch, something to remind me why I went into foraging in the first place.
And then, on a walk by the beach, I found Wild Radish. With a capital W and a capital R.
Because let me tell you my friends, this little plant can pack a serious kick! It woke me up from my winter slumber and sent me mud and all in my kitchen to play around with it.
Aside from my kitchen shenanigans, that include a wild radish wasabi with the leaves, steamed wild radish tops and wild radish pickles, I was also very happy to find some interesting information on it.
The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by bees and flies. The species is of Eurasian descent but has spread all over the world. It is sometimes called sea radish or charlock and the whole plant is edible. You can even make a mustard substitute with the seeds!
Stay tuned to find out about my next adventures with this wonderful little sea plant and share your wild radish recipes in the comments section below!
(Fer)mental Greens 