This Week at Foraged and Found Edibles

The seabean season has begun. Also known as salicornia, glasswort or pickleweed. This salty tide flat plant adds texture and fun. Can be eaten raw or cooked. Perfect with fish dishes, potato salads, soups, and dishes with an Asian flair.

Spring kings are here! The spring flush is on. Kings Boletes (also known as porcini in Italian) will be available off and on into July. Quantities are limited but it is worth coming to the market in early hours to hopefully pickup some of these beauties.











Porcinis grow from small firm buttons to large spongy giants. Because of this difference in size, texture, and gill formation we sell them in different grades. One is not necessarily better than the other, just different and used for varying types of preparations. It is like the difference between baby vs mature zucchini.

Small button boletes(#1's) are firmer fleshed, and can have a longer shelf life. Use for roasting, sauteing, and can be eaten raw. Also good if you want a picture perfect presentation. Medium to large boletes(#2's) are softer moist fleshed, with a slightly more pronounced flavor. These are perfect for sauces, sauteed, or my favorite, grilled. The mature gills on the older mushrooms are delicious when grilled- crispy on the outside, custardy on the the inside. Remember boletes are best eaten asap, shelf life can vary but you don't want the bugs to beat you to the feast. And always refrigerate.

Also still in season- fiddlehead ferns, miner's lettuce, watercress, and morels.

Seen at the farmers stalls this week-
The first snap peas! from Alvarez Farms from Eastern WA (I could live on snap peas- minimum allocation -2 lbs a week)
Lots of greens- spinach, scallions, spring onions, mint and garlic scapes
Asparagus is still marching in droves- great with morel mushrooms

Foraged and Found Edibles is a northwest wild food business selling locally to restaurants and at farmers market in the Seattle area. Throughout the summer you will find us Saturdays at the University District Market, and Sundays at Ballard and West Seattle markets.

Raw King Bolete Salad on Lemon Balm Leaves with Chive Flowers

Here is a recipe for a easy little pre-dinner bite - fancy enough for guests, easy enough for movie night.

Small King Bolete Buttons- need a 2-3 per person depending on size
Large Lemon Balm Leaves- 2-3 per person. Not usually sold at markets but easy to find growing like a weed in yards across the city. Looks like a large wide leafed mint. An awesome but under-appreciated herb
Chives with Flowers- a few flower tops and a smidgen of the unflowered stems- if you don't have any growing in your garden I bet your neighbor does.
Lemon
Olive Oil
Salt

With a sharp knife or mandoline cut boletes into very thin slices. Toss with a sqeeze of lemon, drizzle of oil, sprinkle of salt, and chopped chives. Place a spoonful on a lemon balm leaf and sprinkle with chive flowers. Enjoy!

Variations- Try adding thinly sliced raw artichoke hearts, chiffonade of mint, or shavings of parmesan or young pecorino.