Pick Wild Foods From Your Garden!

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Sheep sorrel also may be substituted for rhubarb in pie recipes. All you have to do is cook the sorrel leaves, combine them with the remaining recipe ingredients, and pour the resulting mixture into a pie shell. Then top with a layer of crust, pop the whole thing into the oven, and bake according to the recipe's directions.

Another sheep sorrel dish—puree—goes back many years. The dateless instructions I use say to [1] boil three pounds (quite a sackful!) of the leaves until tender, [2] drain them, [3] press the cooked foliage through a sieve (if you have a blender, simply whiz the leaves-with a little water, if necessary-until they're smooth), [4] pour the pureed greens into a saucepan containing two tablespoons of butter, and [5] simmer—while stirring—for 10 minutes. Finally, add more butter-or milk or cream—as desired, and salt and pepper to taste.

WOOD SORREL(Oxalis acetosella and other species)

This fragile plant—held by some to be a descendant of the original shamrock—grows in shady areas alongside houses and fences, and can be recognized by its familiar triple-lobed, clover-shaped leaves. (Unlike clover, however, the lobes of wood sorrel's leaves are heart-shaped.) Most of the dozen species of Oxalis known as "wood sorrel" bear yellow flowers (see photo), while some have white blossoms and others have violet- or pink-petaled blooms. Regardless of the species, the pointed seedpods of wood sorrel are always good for a refreshing, lemony nibble on a hot summer day.

Wood sorrel (as you might expect from the name "sorrel", meaning "sour") is similar in taste to sheep sorrel . . . thus, you can replace one plant with the other in many recipes. However, because the wood sorrel's stem can be stiff and hard to chew—even after cooking—you'd be well advised to harvest only the leaves from Oxalis species.

You'll find that raw wood sorrel leaves add a delightful flavor to sandwiches, and that the shamrock-like foliage makes a decorative and tasty garnish.

FOOD IS WHERE YOU FIND IT

You can use any of the plants described in this article—alone or mixed—as soup greens or the base for a puree. And it's no chore to store the wild edibles for year-round use: All you have to do is [1] blanch the greens by placing them in a small amount of boiling water for two minutes, [2] cool the foliage quickly in pre-chilled water, and [3] pack the victuals into airtight containers before [4] putting them in the freezer.

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