”BURDOCK (Arctium minus / Arctium lappa)
GeorgeFlavour Fred
The root is often sought after especially in hunter gatherer times due to its carb content when compared to what else was available. It has a tap root that can be up to 1.5m so a valuable find. Be careful though as depending on where it grows you could expel more calories getting it out of the ground than are within it. Hence finding sandy soils or turning soils regularly makes collection easier…. leading to farming I imagine.
Nowadays when I collect I often will ask organic farmers as it grows so commonly on the sides of fields. However if you were in Japan it is farmed and is called “Gobo” and praised for its dense nutrients and anti-oxidants. I had it braised, fried, sliced extremely thing and pounded into a pulp. The main issue is it’s quite fibrous so cutting across the root is advised. The best time is at the end of the plants first year end of summer and before it bolts in spring.
The leaves are useful to cook in but bitter so I lay more fragrant leaves within and use to steam “en papillote” style when cooking outdoors.
I would also say it’s probably the best wild toilet paper out there.
