The Friday Forager: Ramps, Fiddleheads, Morels and More

by editor

With two days of (hopefully) glorious spring weather ahead, why not try your hand at foraging some edibles for your dinner?

You don't have to go so far as to dive for crabs, like the folks in our Adventures in Foraging webisode did. Just head to a local greenspace and see what turns up. You might be surprised.

A few wildfoods to look out for:

Ramps (pictured above) are also known as spring onions, ramson, and wild leek. Whatever you call it, this member of the onion family is plentiful in many parts of North America. Tasting like a cross between garlic and leeks, they're a flavourful substitute for onions in any dish. They can be costly in stores, so savour them if you find them!

Fiddleheads, which we've written about before, are the curled sprouts of the ostrich fern. These leaves become inedible once they unfurl, making fiddleheads, like ramps, a limited-time-offer seasonal delicacy.

Stinging nettles don't sound like appealing fare, but their characteristically "green" taste is sought after for teas, soups, purees, or even pasta. To combat the nettles' sting, wear gloves when picking (good advice in general for foragers). Blanch or steam them before eating.

If you've just had a heavy rainfall, then your area might be enjoying a bounty of morels. We've written about this enigmatic wild mushroom, which is highly prized by gourmands for its deep earthy flavour. If you've never hunted for morels, be sure to have an experienced mushroom aficionado identify your treasure before you eat it.

If all this talk of gloves and hunting is too much, and you want to start your foraging career with an easy win, the humble dandelion offers a two-fold treat: use the tender young leaves as a salad green, then lightly batter and fry the flowers. (Everything tastes good when it's fried, right?)