Lamb's Quarters and Wood Sorrel Pasta
Why complain about pulling weeds from your garden when they taste this good? We give a classic "pasta with spinach" recipe a wild twist by replacing the spinach and lemon juice with two of the most common backyard weeds in North America: lamb's quarters and wood sorrel. Spinach pasta wishes it tastes this good!This recipe is vegetarian, and is dairy-free and vegan if you omit the Parmesan garnish.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4-6 cups lamb's quarters leaves
- ¼ generous cup sundried tomatoes in oil diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup wood sorrel leaves, flowers and pods
- 3 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp shallot pepper
- ¼ tsp dried savory
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 2-3 tbs water
- 16 oz rotini pasta
- Parmesan optional
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Rinse lamb's quarters leaves. Shake off excess water, but do not dry completely. Chop roughly and set aside.
- Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds (do not let it brown). Stir in sundried tomatoes and cook about a minute longer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add lamb's quarters and wood sorrel. Toss to combine. Add salt, shallot pepper, savory, basil, and 2-3 tbsp water. Cook, stirring frequently, until greens are fully cooked and water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
- Toss lamb's quarters mixture with cooked pasta until thoroughly mixed. Serve garnished with grated Parmesan and additional fresh wood sorrel, if desired.
Notes
- Lamb's quarters can be found growing through North America at any time that the ground is not frozen. They are easily recognized by their heavily serrated, triangular leaves, and the unmistakable powdery white coating that covers its new growth and the undersides of mature leaves. They often grow in dense stands and can aggressively reseed themselves and spread through disturbed soils (like vacant lots... or a backyard garden bed). The entire plant is edible while young and tender, but the leaves are the only part that are really worth eating at any stage. They are best harvested prior to going to seed.
- The white powder on the leaves is harmless and does not need be washed off (it would take a considerable amount of effort to do so). It breaks down and effectively disappears during cooking.
- Wood sorrel can be found growing in just about any spare patch of soil, but especially in damp, shady spots (such as around trees and shrubs, or near the outlets of rain gutters). They are often confused with clovers due to their similar three-lobed leaves. A quick taste is all it takes to positively identify them - wood sorrel have a strong - but pleasant - sour lemon flavor.