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Anybody ever fix poke weed leaves or greens?

It is supposed to be popular in Europe, not just the Southern United States.

Usually by this time of year the leaves and the plant would be too large to use, but I found a small patch that was still young, by the public library. Normally the new leaves are harvested in the early spring.

I cooked some today. I only had a small baggie full and thought it would cook down to nothing, but it didn't, unlike what spinach would have done.

I haven't eaten any in years. It does have a remarkable taste, even without any seasonings at all. I can see where it would be a welcome spring "green" in rural areas.

The cooking process I learned to use was throw into boiling water for one minute, then pour off water; throw back into fresh boiling water another minute, then pour off water; boil for 15 minutes until tender, drain well, add seasonings as desired, or eat plain.

Some local folks around here told me the second "rinse" wasn't needed, but I learned otherwise.

The Declaration of Independence was supposedly written with ink made from poke berries.

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SwampSparrow

edo, ergo, sum

Hmmm...that is interesting. I have seen it growing but had no idea it was edible.

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Patty

exercise is NOT AN OPTION

"Muscle is hard to get and easy to lose.
Fat is easy to get and hard to lose."

F54 5'4" 163/150/130

It is edible--with the cooking steps indicated. The leaves should never be eaten uncooked. In the recent past you could buy it canned, but the company canning it ran out of supply, as people stopped harvesting it for sale. I'm very curious about the European market for it.

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SwampSparrow

edo, ergo, sum

I've never eaten it, living here in CA, but DH has and says it's good, cooked just as you do.

We've been eating turnip greens and kale picked from our garden. YUM!

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If at first you DO succeed - try not to look too amazed!

I reject your reality and substitute my own. --Adam on Mythbusters

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I love kale. I rarely see it in the stores here, but sometimes I do.

It is already far too hot here for kale, mustards and any greens. They would have gone to see by now.

I did something interesting, but I don't know how it will turn out.

I had a rutabaga that sprouted, i.e. it started showing green leaves. I sectioned the top with leaves into a couple of pieces and potted them into a fairly large pot a few months ago. A couple of sections died, but about four hung on.

They were doing so so and then I neglected them for a week or so and some blessed catepillars decimated the leaves. I should have been more attentive as I could have hand picked them off (which I did when I finally noticed it). But now, the leaves are really taking off and have gotten as large or larger than my hand.

I am so curious though if I actually have an baby rutabagas growing. Also, I have no idea when I should try and find out. I thought I'd wait until the plants flowered. I don't know when regular rutabagas are harvested, much less ones that might be in a pot. The leaves are edible too, I've read.

I am so tempted to pull one up, but if I then had to repot it because the rutabaga was still very tiny, it might not live, and I have nursed these things along for several months now. I wasn't sure if they could take freezing weather, so every time the weather went below freezing I covered them up a little.

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SwampSparrow

edo, ergo, sum

That is always fun to do.

I believe that you harvest rutabaga in the fall. My grandmother used to grow them so this is a vague recollection. I think she waited until the first hard frost killed the leaves and then dug them up. I know they will withstand a considerable amount of cold weather before they die. In other words, it will take a really hard frost to end their growing time.

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Patty

exercise is NOT AN OPTION

"Muscle is hard to get and easy to lose.
Fat is easy to get and hard to lose."

F54 5'4" 163/150/130

Thanks. I notice one of them is starting to flower.

I really like rutabaga fries, but I always have to nuke them a little at the end to get them a tiny bit softer.

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SwampSparrow

edo, ergo, sum