Four More Recipes

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) Pesto
Submitted by Jennifer Chesworth, Centre Hall, Pennsylvania 16828

1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1 Cup Pine Nuts or Walnuts
1/2 Cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
Enough Garlic Mustard leaves to choke a horse (or to clear a forest floor)

Finely mince the walnuts and garlic mustard.  An electric coffee grinder
works like a charm.
Add Oil and Cheese, serve with pasta or rice or other whole grain.  For
vegan pesto use Nutritional Yeast instead of Cheese.

Harvesting Garlic Mustard:  take out the entire plant including the roots
early in the season before it has a chance to flower.  Young first leaves
are best for pesto (and for salads or as a steamed green).  Use only the
leaves for this recipe.  Remove the roots from the area you are clearing as
they will re-establish themselves if left in a pile on the ground.  If you
pull up garlic mustard after it has flowered beware as it will develop the
seedhead even after it is pulled from the ground.




Stir Fried Buds with Garlic Mustard and Mushrooms

Gather from an unsprayed area and wash well:
2 cups of 1/2" to 1" daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)buds
2 cups garlic mustard (alliaria petiolata)

other ingredients:
1 T. roasted sesame oil
1 T. sesame seeds
1 t. grated fresh ginger
1 cup mixed wild mushrooms (any kind will be good)

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil, sesame seeds, and ginger.  Lower
the heat to medium and add the mushrooms and daylily buds.  Cover for 5
minutes.  Uncover and turn the heat up to medium high.  Add the garlic
mustard and stir until wilted and the mushrooms are done.... 3 - 5 minutes.

Note:  This is a wonderful side dish.  Add chicken or shrimp and serve over
wild rice for a main course.  This is one dish that will change minds when
it comes to eating wild foods!


Pesto Petiolata

Submitted by: Andrea Hoerr ahoerr@yahoo.com

Ingredients:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 Tbl pine nuts or walnut pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 ounce
4 cups of garlic mustard leaves (Alliaria petiolata),
or 2 cups garlic mustard with 2 cups basil leaves

Instructions:
Place all of the ingredients except the basil in a
blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then
add the garlic mustard and/or basil a handful at a
time, blending until all of the greens are
incorporated and the pesto is smooth.

Makes about 1 cup.

Notes:
For the best flavor, pick the leaves before the plant
has flowered. I personally wouldn't use leaves from
roadside plants because I don't know what the roadside
crews use on the roads or along the roads.

If freezing, omit the cheese and add in when ready to
use the pesto. I like to freeze 1/4 scoops of pesto in
baggies, then cut the corner off and squeeze the pesto
out.


GARLIC MUSTARD PESTO

3 cups garlic mustard leaves, washed, patted dry, & packed in measuring cup
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 cup walnuts
1 cup olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup grated Romano cheese (or just use more parmesan)
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine garlic mustard leaves, garlic and walnuts in a food processor and chop.  Or
You can divide the recipe in a half and use a blender.  With motor running, add olive oil  slowly. 
Shut off motor.  Add cheese, salt & pepper, and process briefly to combine.  Scrape into
refrigerator container and cover.  It can be frozen, although the garlic taste will diminish in the freezer.

This makes 2 cups, enough to use as sauce for 2 lbs. of pasta.  It's good on crackers as an appetizer.
 It is also super on baked fish.  Just spread some on your filets before you bake them.  Yum!

If you make this pesto with basil as it is usually made, use 3 cups of basil leaves and 4 cloves of garlic.

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