Wild Green Recipes: Lambsquarter Crostini

Urban foraging was once the realm of hard-core locavores. Not anymore. Some farmers' markets now offer wild greens (a.k.a. edible weeds) and foraging groups abound. If you plan to forage for your wild greens, make sure you're picking what you think you're picking, as many edible weeds have toxic look-alikes.

This week, we'll show you how to prepare your wild greens.

Recipe #3: Lambsquarter Crostini

Lambsquarter is also called "wild spinach," though it has an earthier flavor to it and way more nutrients than its domesticated cousin. Try serving this appetizer with Basil-Mint Iced Tea.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 cups lambsquarter leaves

2-3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

1 whole head of garlic

1 loaf French bread, sliced into ½ inch slices

1 oz block of Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub one side of the bread slices with garlic. Place the bread on a baking tray, garlic side up, and bake for 8 minutes. Mince the rest of the garlic.

In the mean time, immerse the lambsquarter is a large bowl of water to remove all the grit. Grit doesn't taste very good! Chop coarsely.

In a medium frying pan, sauté the olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the garlic is soft. Add the lambsquarter leaves and sauté  for another 2 minute before adding the lemon juice. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Top the bread slices with the lambsquarter mixture and a thin slice of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Read more: Check out our recipe for farro with curried apples, filberts, and cranberries.

--By Laura Hayden / image courtesy of iStock/ALEAIMAGE

Laura Hayden is an editorial intern at SIERRA Magazine. She is a rising senior at Mount Holyoke College, where she is pursuing a major in Environmental Studies, and a minor in Journalism. She has a passion for all things pertaining to growing (and eating) food, and renewable energy.