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Braised Hogweed Shoots with Crispy Sorrel Crumbs
Hogweed has a deliciously delicate, grassy flavour with a slight mineral undertone. The young, tender shoots, lightly cooked and buttered make a good side vegetable just as they are – but we like to elevate this classic forager’s dish by adding crisp, tangy breadcrumbs as a crunchy contrast to the soft, velvety greens. Pick the hogweed shoots before the leaves are fully open.
Serves : 4
Prep : 5 minutes
Cook : 5–8 minutes
- About 200g young hogweed shoots (about 2 handfuls)
- 25g butter
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CRISPY SORREL CRUMBS
- 4 medium-sized leaves of common sorrel
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 60g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200˚C. To prepare the crispy crumbs, put the sorrel leaves and olive oil into a food processor or blender and blitz well. Put the breadcrumbs and parmesan into a bowl, then trickle over the sorrel oil. Toss the breadcrumbs to mix the oil through evenly, then spread them out on a baking sheet and set aside.
- Rinse the hogweed shoots and put them in a heavy pan with the water still clinging to them. Set the pan over a medium heat and cook the hogweed shoots, with a lid on, for 5 minutes.
- Draw the pan off the heat, and pop the crumbs into the oven. Bake for 4 minutes (we recommend you put on a timer, to avoid a tray of burnt crumbs!)
- Put the pan of hogweed shoots back over the heat and cook for a few moments to boil off any excess water. Add the butter, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until the shoots are soft. Add the lemon juice and taste for seasoning.
- Turn the hogweed out into a warm serving dish, scatter with the hot crumbs, and serve.
Credits
Recipe by Wild Food UK; development and photos by Otherwise
1 comment for Braised Hogweed Shoots with Crispy Sorrel Crumbs
Thank you so much, for the guides, the video and the extra help identifying my hogweed.
It was beyond expectation, truly delicious.