Lady’s Thumb
Like Japanese Knotweed, Lady’s Thumb is a member of the buckwheat family. The tender, spring leaves are a nice addition to a salad. As the plant matures, the leaves become a bit peppery and become a good potherb, especially when mixed with other greens.
Basically, the leaves are like spinach. The flowers are similar, but I would use them as a garnish rather than mix them in. The tender shoots though, I would cook with the leaves. I am sure I could come up with some kind of fancy Eggs Florentine or other dish that usually uses spinach and tell you to substitute Lady’s Thumb leaves. But, just like our next herb, Lamb’s Quarters, this plant is essentially a 1 to 1 substitute for spinach. Think of it like spinach. Use it like spinach. It is a no brainer and while nutritious, not terribly exciting. That said, where abundant, like Lamb’s Quarters, Kudzu, or the related Japanese Knotweed, it could be an excellent source of free food.
Lamb’s Quarters
Of all the wild greens that are similar in taste and texture to garden spinach, I find Lamb’s Quarters to be the most similar. This is the Chenopodium species. Sometimes it is called “goose foot” or lumped in with Amaranth as “pigweed.” I know of at least one farmer that specializes in greens, who sells Lamb’s Quarters as “wild spinach”, using it as a very popular fill in between his spinach season and when other garden spinach substitutes like New Zealand “spinach” and Malabar “spinach” (neither are true spinaches) are in season. So many of his customers prefer the Lamb’s Quarters for which he forages to the more well-known, cultivated, spinaches that he grows on his farm, that there is sometimes a waiting list to buy them!
I must include a special dish under Lamb’s Quarters because this one is such a beloved recipe for spinach but is even better with Lamb’s Quarters.
Cream of Lamb’s Quarters
Ingredients:
Freshly picked or blanched and frozen Lamb’s Quarters – as much as you have on hand and will fit your pot.
Shallot, onion or garlic
Butter
Milk or cream
Flour
Nutmeg or a dash of Creole Seasoning
Salt
Pepper
Herbs of your choice – I really like just a pinch of mint in this and parsley is good, but use whatever you like or none at all.
Cheese (optional)
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
A splash of white wine or sherry (optional).
As you can see, above, you can alter this dish very much to your taste. In its most simple form, it is seasoned with only shallot, salt, pepper and nutmeg. This gives one the traditional, slightly sweet flavor that the nutmeg brings out in the butter and cream. Don’t use much nutmeg though, you just want enough to bring out those flavors and to make the dish more aromatic. In early America, people added nutmeg to most everything, and a man of means would carry his own whole nutmeg in a small box grater in his pocket so that he was never without. I like a little spice, so the aromatic mixture of cayenne pepper, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, that comprises Creole Seasoning is more to my taste. But, I like a little grate of nutmeg in there, as well, especially if I am using cheddar or blue cheese – I would skip that with Swiss or other cheeses. I will also include just a few drops of Worcestershire Sauce, a splash of white wine and sometimes even a little hot sauce! But, most folks want the style of Cream of Spinach that they remember from childhood. You can enhance that sweetness with a little sherry or other white, fortified wine.. or a splash of brandy. Either way your tastes run, play around with the dish until you find your favorite combination.
Instructions:
Melt butter in a deep pan and sweat down your shallot (or onion, garlic, etc.). Push to the side and make a roux adding a bit more butter and flour, so that you have equal amounts. Just cook, stirring until the flour is cooked, but not brown… unless you prefer it brown. Add milk or cream. Toss in your washed Lamb’s Quarters. They will wilt down just like spinach, so you can use quite a bit. Gently cook down, stirring so nothing scorches until you have a nice, thick cream of spinach. This can be anything from a soup to the standard, thick Thanksgiving side dish. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and whatever else you like. If you use cheese, either add it to the pan at the very end and brown it under the broiler for a minute or grate on once the dish is plated. I don’t like to cook the cheese into the dish because it can tend to scorch. Of course, some crumbled bacon and toasted pecans or walnuts on top, is always nice!
This article is an excerpt from
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Disclaimer
The information on this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. Nothing on this site has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. I am not a doctor. The US government does not recognize the practice of herbal medicine and their is no governing body regulating herbalists. Therefore, I'm just a guy who studies herbs. I am not offering any advice. I won't even claim that anything I write is accurate or true! I can tell you what herbs have "traditionally been used for." I can tell you my own experience and if I believe an herb helped me. I cannot, nor would I tell you to do the same. If you use any herb I, or anyone else, mentions you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility for your health. Humans are individuals and no two are identical. What works for me may not work for you. You may have an allergy, sensitivity or underlying condition that no one else shares and you don't even know about. Be careful with your health. By continuing to read my blog you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to blame me for anything, ever.
