Wild salad leaves

Probably the most well known wild salad leaves are the dandelion which is still served in some restaurants in France. For the best wild salad leaves always use the young leaves as the plant tends to get older the leaves can turn quite bitter. You can always stand the salad leaves in water overnight which can reduce the bitterness. Use a light dressing of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Good base salad plants:

Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris)

Lady's smock (Cardamine pratensis)

Celandine leaves (Ranunculus ficaria)

Hawthorn leaves (Crataegus monogyna)

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum)

Sharp-tasting leaves:

Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

Wild herbs good in salads:

Wild marjoram (Origanum vulgare)

Wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella)

Wood sorrel is found in early spring (flowering between April and June) in woods and other shady places and is often found at the base of a mossy tree trunk (as in this case). It has a characteristic shamrock-shaped leaves and a sharp lemon like taste. Wood sorrel has been eaten in salads certainly as early as the 14th century. It is still used in salads today and can be pulped to sharpen up sauces and soups. However, due to the its high content of oxalic acid it should only be eaten in moderation. Apparently, American Indians fed the root of these plants to their horses to increase their speed and in early Europe the bruised leaves were used to treat cuts and bruises.