Chicken mushroom/Sulfur Shelf

What an exciting share we have for you this week!! (Do I say that every week??)

Even though it has been dryer than dry here in Western PA, Dave and his eagle eyes spotted some young fresh chicken mushroom for you! We also have some other amazing things this week:

• Chicken Mushroom *NEW
• Sassafras saplings *NEW
• Staghorn Sumac *NEW
• Purslane
• Lambs Quarters
• Day Lily Buds

Holy Amazing Batman!! (Yes, the new batman movie was filmed in Pittsburgh! Warning - this links to a violent/intense trailer…Batman isn’t the lovable character he once was! But Hines Ward is in this trailer.)

Like most wild mushrooms, The Chicken Mushroom MUST BE COOKED BEFORE EATING!!

In general, you can use it in place of chicken in any recipe. I like to chop it, saute it in butter, and eat it with eggs. Or make “chicken salad” with it, by taking the chopped cooked pieces of the mushroom as I would chopped cooked chicken, and mix with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and mustard.

Here is a recipe for Chicken Mushroom Satay from The 3 Foragers that I am extremely eager to try!

Always remember to use caution when trying any new food, but especially mushrooms (they have complex proteins that may be entirely new for your body to digest). Sample a little (cooked!!) at first and make sure you feel ok. This is always a good rule to follow for any new food.

Wildman Steve Brill also has some great information and recipes for Chicken Mushroom, check him out. Here is his video about chicken mushroom - very informative!

Sassafras sapling

The sassafras sapling makes a delicious tea - just boiled in water. You can boil the whole small sapling: roots, stem, leaves and all.  You can decide whether you want to sweeten it with honey or not.

red berry cluster of staghorn sumac

The last new ingredient, staghorn sumac, also makes an excellent drink. Just soak the entire “blossom” in cold water overnight, and you will have a lemony, vitamin C-rich drink akin to lemonade. Again, you may want to sweeten it or enjoy as is.  Here I take you through how to make this sumac-ade,  step by step. You can also dry the red “berries” and then use them as a lemony spice (used in Middle Eastern cooking.)

The purslane and lambsquarters give you excellent greens to work with again this week. Again we must thank Erin for the amazing purslane! Her urban homestead is for sale!! If you want to have too much purslane to know what to do with - and end up calling me to get some Check out their incredibly beautiful property, right across the street from Garden Dreams Urban Farm and Nursery.

The lambs quarters stalk is getting thick, so I recommend just using the leaves at this point. They can be eaten raw or cooked - use just like spinach.

And this may be your last week for day lily buds, so enjoy them fully! If you’ve had your fill for now, simply dehydrate the buds and use them later in soups. It’s what they do in Asia and it adds a great flavor!

Sauteed chicken mushroom and day lily buds with onions and garlic over basmati rice

This morning I sauteed the chicken mushroom in a little butter, then added onion and garlic and a handful of day lily buds (which only need a quick saute), some gluten-free tamari and mirin and served over a bed of brown basmati rice. Yummmm!

Lots of love,

Melissa