Here's a great addition to your plant repertoire: dames rocket buds, or the unopened raabs of Hesperis matronalis (an invasive species in Minnesota, so pick them as you please).
I'd seen the little buds before around the Midwest and I'd even brought some home to analyze and key out, since they look like something that I'd want to eat. But, I never got far enough along to figure out exactly what they were.
That was untiI took a walk with my friend Sam Thayer, or plant yoda as I call him. Sam pointed them out like I'd point out a piece of lettuce at the farmers market, to him they were a well known edible, but they were brand new to me, and let me tell you, they're excellent.
You can eat the leaves and the flowers the plant makes too, but make sure they're young and tender.
Get'em while the gettins' good
If you want to get a decent amount of these, you'll want to harvest quickly, don't come back in a week and expect them to still be there or all you'll have are a bunch of flowers.
General Cooking
I've eaten these raw in small amounts, and they're OK in a salad, but kind of a novelty. I prefer them cooked alongside some wilted greens, or gently steamed like you might milkweed buds. Dressed with a little melted butter and lemon juice they're excellent.
Treat them like you would any other mild green
Blanching is totally unnecessary, they have a mild flavor, no bitterness, no strong Aster-like flavor, just mild, green deliciousness. All you have to do is grab your buds, toss them in a pan and heat them up. Below is an example where I cooked them with other wild greens and a very small amount of meat: a common meal I enjoy.
I used violets, wild mustard greens, wild onions scapes, lamb bacon and some hickory nuts, but it's just an example. Adding some nuts is a great way for me to sneak some extra oomph in my quick meals before I hit the kitchen. Like other mild tasting plants, there's just about nothing you couldn't do with these.
Dames Rocket Buds with Greens, Bacon and Nuts
Ingredients
- 2 oz bacon, sliced optional
- 3 oz Dames rocket buds and attached leaves
- 3 oz Leafy greens (I used violets and wild mustard greens) washed and dried if needed, stems cut into ¼-1/2 inch pieces if tender.
- 2 tablespoons stock or water
- 2 oz mild onion like scallions or a small ramp bulb or two (I used a few wild onion scapes)
- Sprinkle of toasted hickory nuts use whatever nut you like, or no nuts
- Flavorful oil for finishing, like good olive oil (I used some of Sam Thayer's Hickory nut oil)
- Fresh lemon or a dash of white wine vinegar optional
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Render the bacon in a pan on medium low, when the fat has rendered from the bacon, drain off a bit of the fat if you have very fatty bacon, then add the onion, cook for a minute, then add the greens, stock, salt and pepper.
- Cover the pan to wilt the greens quickly, adding a splash of water, then cook down for a minute to reduce the juices.
- Double check the seasoning for salt and pepper and adjust as needed, then serve topped with the oil, a dash of the vinegar or lemon, and a sprinkle of the nuts.
Sama Cunningham
Hi Alan, thanks for this info! I saw in Sam Thayer’s new guide that the shoots can be eaten as well. Have you tried this? I found them to be stringy and that the hairy texture was still too present after a short boiling (but a longer boiling would’ve been way overcooked). I’m curious if you’ve experimented with this.
Alan Bergo
It's all about when you harvest them. If yours are tough then you need to pick them younger. Only the tender portion that bends like asparagus should be eaten.
Kjk
Can hesperis blossoms be used to flavor lemonade like lavendar, peony, and rose blossoms?
Alan Bergo
No, they're savory and taste like mustard greens. Try black locust flowers.
eub
Now too bad I've been ripping this species out; maybe I can volunteer to help clear people's yards as long as they're at the raab stage.
Any use of the grown flowers? I do love their smell in the evening but it might be an odd perfume for savory food. It could go like rosewater.
Jenna
I’ve candied the flowers and used them decoratively on cakes and cupcakes.
Mitch
Dame’s Rocket is another plant that will survive frost. I see the basal rosettes all Winter here in Wisconsin. The leaves are quite peppery at that stage. An excellent addition to salads. More often than not they will have the typical Mustard family-dried stalk with seed pod holes from the previous Summer growing through the middle of the rosettes. An easy way to help ID them. I recommend. Love your site. I have many new plans because of you. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.
Alan Bergo
You're welcome and thanks. Yeah Sam Thayer showed me these this year and they were just great.