Wild About Salad

A couple of weeks ago I was over in Lancaster for my Permaculture course. As part of the lunch that we share a fellow student bought in an amazing foraged salad made up entirely of leaves and flowers that she had found growing wild on the estate where she lives. The salad was delicious and inspired me to think about being a little more creative when I'm making salads at home. The one in the picture above is the first example of this newfound creativity.

I'm not quite as confident as Robin who created the salad I ate in Lancsater but taking inspiration from hers I decided to add common lettuce we are growing with more unusual leaves. On that basis this tasty little bowl contained mixed Italian Lettuce leaves, Radicchio, Sorrel, Nasturtium leaves and flowers and Calendula petals. Needless to say, the salad was absolutely delicious and went down a storm in my house! In fact, I'm already planning what I'd like to add to my next one. I particularly love the taste and look that flowers and petals add so any suggestions on other edible flowers would be much appreciated.

Comments

[floristpenang]

Flowers are eternal from Adam and Eve till the end of time.

[Carolyn @ Urban Veg patch]

Most of the herb flowers can be picked off and added to a salad, etc. They have a subtle taste of the herb they're from. Also have a look at the Plant for a Future website (I'm sure you know of it already after your permaculture course) - http://www.pfaf.org/user/cmspage.aspx?pageid=38 There's a page on edible flowers, plus the site is full of info!
P.S. have just found your blog, am enjoying it a lot and have added you to my sidebar.

[Ros]

viola flowers are edible and a pretty addition to salads and to drinks and things as well

[Louise]

Rocket flowers are edible and taste just like the leaves, which is just as well for me as it ran to seed almost immediately on my allotment this year.

[Emma]

If you have broad beans and can take the hit on bean production then their flowers are edible and nice for salads :) You can use field beans, if you're sowing them as a green manure.