Late Winter Salad Greens 2021
On the top row, left to right;
It is surely a sign of Spring when these Dandelion Greens grow. They are tender and almost sweet. Next is of course the cool Chickweed, still great but starting to go a little leggy. More will still grow of course. The rosette of Evening Primrose’s leaves, second season prior to flowering are soft and sweet, followed by an assortment of beet greens – yellow, red and green.
The second row from left to right;
A new and most welcome addition to the garden and salads throughout the year – the Plantago minutina, a small plantain. These leaves are crisp, grow all winter, are perennial and produce thousands of seeds. What more could one ask for? Next to that, the equally welcome Miners lettuce or Winter Purslane. It is only around for winter and early spring so I make the most of it. Next to that and slightly higher is a single leaf of Sheep’s sorrel, sour, juicy, totally invasive but a great addition. Lastly and quite the opposite is the highly fragrant, Anise Hyssop that as its name suggests has a mild aniseed flavour. Outside here it is an annual but a perennial in my tunnel house.
The third row from left to right;
First the spicy Upland Cress, then Endive (a little bitter), early chives – always great to see these in the late winter, and crunchy Pak choi leaves and flowers.
The fourth row from left to right;
The young leaves of a giant mustard that keeps coming up, very ‘hot’, then the annual Rocket that grows well here outside in winter, new Fennel growth (chop leaves and stem), and Salad Burnet who adds a mild cucumber taste to the salad.
I finely chop these sixteen plants that grow here in late winter, add some small squares of avocado and feta cheese, all dressed with a garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. It is delicious. Fresh, crisp and great tastes to stimulate any digestive malaise of lockdown or late winter/early spring.
isla burgess 