Garlic Mustard is an awesome wild edible that is around in late winter to early spring. It’s available and alive year-round, but the longer days mean this plant has delicious new growth leaves that are the perfect addition to wild salads.
Have you ever had mustard greens? Garlic Mustard is very similar to the slightly bitter and mustard-y taste of mustard greens, but has just a hint of a garlic flavor.
It’s delicious to add and mix with other greens like lettuce, arugula and spinach since it is slightly bitter. I’m thinking of adding it to walnut pesto or steam it with escarole and add it inside of a cheesy calzone. You can also eat the roots, but they are more bitter and resemble horseradish which I’m not a huge fan of.
Once spring hits, Garlic Mustard begins to flower. It produces flowers with white petals which are also edible. Think a salad of beautiful mixed greens with flowers for color and flavor.
Once the flowers are finished, Garlic Mustard produces seed capsules which some people add to curries or soups. They can also be sprouted and grown into new, indoor Garlic Mustard plants!
Have you tried Garlic Mustard? What do you think of it?
Photos: Wendell Smith
Elizabeth Adan is a Freelance Writer, Publicist and Brand Ambassador. Her blog Aquaberry Bliss is a unique outdoor lifestyle blog dedicated to expanding your world and inspiring your creativity. When Elizabeth isn’t traveling, you’ll find her writing, hiking or gardening. Find Elizabeth on Twitter @stillaporcupine and on LinkedIn.
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