My Herbs 1

utes) and add finely chopped shoots
and leaves before the end of boiling,
then add two handfuls of oatmeal as
garnish. Flavor with garlic and salt.
You may also add thyme or oregano,
as well as goatsbeard or English daisy
flowers (for a decorative effect, as they
look nice floating on the soup). Leaves
may also be used in salads and vegetable
mixes.
Warning: Goatsbeard seeds are inedible,
so do not pick faded anthodiums.
Lady’s mantle
Cabbage Thistle
(Cirsium oleraceum)
The cabbage thistle is a perennial
plant that blooms from July to October.
Wet locations, river or pond banks,
wetlands, meadows or spring marshes
are good for the plant.
It is held in the ground by a stool with
many roots. The stem is straight, unbranched,
hollow and grooved. Leaves at
the ground level are arranged in
a rosette; they are petiolate, large and of
variable shape. The upper leaves are
ovate to elliptic and are occasionally cordate
and clasping the stem. Leaf edges
are toothed and with soft thorns, while
inflorescence is an anthodium and individual
flowers are light yellow to white,
partly hidden in the quiver-like bract.
Fruit is an achene with a pappus.
The leaves, stem and root are all edible.
Leaves are picked from April to October,
caulis in July and August, and roots during
the first year of the plant’s life.
Tip:
CABBAGE THISTLE SOUP
WITH HERB DUMPLINGS
Ingredients for soup:
- 7 oz finely chopped leaves
- 2-3 tbsp of oil
- 2 tbsp of flour
- 3 1/2 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of milk
- salt
- spices
Ingredients for dumplings:
- 3.5 oz of herb
- 2 tsp of oil
- breadcrumbs
- egg
- salt
For the soup: Sauté herbs in oil before
pouring water or broth on them. Mix
the flour with a little water, pour the
mix in your soup and boil it. Before it
reaches its boiling point, add the
dumplings (you may also add finely
chopped root vegetables, especially
grated beet, which tastes great). You may
also decorate your soup with English
daisy flowers.
For the dumplings: Fry breadcrumbs,
herbs and one egg for a while. Mix
until it becomes a thick dough. Use
a spoon to scoop up pieces of dough
and add them directly to the soup. Boil
for at least five more minutes.
Warning: Watch out for thorns at the
edges of leaves. It is advisable to scald
the leaves with hot water or to cut
them using scissors before cooking.
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