Dairy Free Wildflower Risotto has a very creamy consistency cooked with freshly picked Maiden’s Tears, giving it a delicate, yet very distinctive flavour. A perfect Spring vegetarian dish and unique. You’ll have everyone coming back for seconds.
Ever since moving to North Eastern Italy, and living near the Isonzo River, I have really come to enjoy and appreciate, traditional Regional cooking as well as learning to cook with native herbs and edible native weeds and wildflowers.
I grew up in Australia in Melbourne and Sydney which are both large cities. So, I basically grew up as a city dweller. Sure, living in the suburbs but still a city dweller.
My mother always prepared delicious, nutritional and traditional meals based on our European background, both my parents came from Trieste.
However, cooking with native herbs in season is a wonderful experience. I’ve always had an interest in herbs and their properties and if you delve into the properties of native herbs, wildflowers and edible weeds in your area you’ll soon see that Mother Nature knows what she’s doing.
THE WONDERS OF MOTHER NATURE
During Spring, when the body needs to detox all of our winter indulgences, most of the Spring herbs, vegetables, edible weeds and wildflowers have a diuretic effect, helping liver and kidneys to cleanse. See how spectacular Mother Nature is, if we take the time to look.
What most of us would consider weeds a naturalist or herbalist looks at the plants with a totally different eye and sees food, and their healing properties. Many of the so called “weeds” can be used in cooking and even help with aches and pains.
Today’s recipe is dedicated to one of these so called ‘edible wildflowers’ known as sclopit here in our Region, Friuli Venezia Giulia and the botanical name is Silene Vulgaris. This plant, also known as Maiden’s Tears or Bladder Campion is a wildflower and native in Europe but also widespread in the meadows and open woods of North America as well as in some areas in Australia.
COOKING WITH EDIBLE WEEDS & WILDFLOWERS
Maiden’s Tears is one of my most loved native edible wildflowers. The young shoots and leaves of this delectable native plant are sweet and may be used chopped up in salads or cooked in a variety of ways: in risottos, pasta or soups, etc.
LOOKING FOR HERBS AND EDIBLE PLANTS IS A RELAXING PAST TIME
Collecting edible plants is a very relaxing past time. You’re walking through the forest, breathing in the clean, fresh air and listening to the wonderful sounds of the forest life whilst looking for your edible native plants. We all tend to lead busy lives and walking in bushland helps you relax and unwind.
Friuli Venezia Giulia is full of native plants that can be consumed. Many city dwellers aren’t aware of this, as I wasn’t, and it’s a shame because they really are a delicious and nutritious find!
Many of these wild plants can be found growing right in your backyard. Just think of Dandelions, yes you read right, these so called weeds are actually a very nutritional edible wildflower. You can chop them up in salads when the leaves are young and soft or eat them cooked. I prefer having them fresh, myself, that way you’re not losing any of the nutrient value during the cooking process.
Many natives are featured in festivals and local fairs during their harvesting season. The fairs are a great place to find locals showing off all sorts of culinary recipes and all the various uses of the plant and their properties.
So next time you take a walk through your neighbourhood, make sure to take a good look around. Perhaps you have overlooked a real gem full of vitamins and minerals right at your doorstep, zero kms to boot! Can’t get any fresher than that!
RESEARCH YOUR WILD PLANTS
A word of warning though: if the idea of utilizing what nature so conveniently provides, please ensure:
- You know what you’re picking. Some plants look similar, one is edible and the other is not or may even be poisonous, especially berries;
- Ensure that the area has not be sprayed with pesticides;
- Never over-pick a patch. You want to make sure you leave enough behind for the plant to regrow in the future.
So let’s get on with today’s recipe: Dairy Free Wildflower Risotto. We’re using ‘Sclopit’ or Maiden’s Tears in the recipe.
During the Spring you can find it in some stores or at the local markets or why not buy the seeds and plant some in your garden.
Risottos are simple to make and I like to use fresh seasonal produce. Best of all they can be made with almost anything you have on hand. Once you have chopped up the ingredients you have chosen, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook. Dairy Free Wildflower Risotto is gluten free, as well as vegan. It has a very creamy consistency and a super delicate flavour. I’m sure it will become one of your favourites too. If you want to know the dos and don’ts on making the best risotto, take a look at my post here.
So let’s get cooking!
If you’re looking for other tasty risotto recipes, why not try these:
Risotto with Asparagus; Chianti Risotto; Risotto with Artichokes; Risotto with Sausage
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a comment below, share it, rate it or tag a picture on Instagram @yummyalternatives and hashtag it #yummyalternatives. I’d really love to see what you make
Dairy Free Wildflower Risotto has a very creamy consistency cooked with freshly picked Maiden’s Tears, giving it a delicate, yet very distinctive flavour. A perfect Spring vegetarian dish and unique. You’ll have everyone coming back for seconds. Wash Maiden’s Tears and allow it to drain Finely chop the onion and garlic Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic, sauté on medium-low heat careful not to burn the garlic, until the onion is transparent. About 5 minutes Add the rice and a couple of ladles of vegetable broth, mix well Add the Maiden’s Tears, stir well Keep adding the vegetable broth, a ladle at a time to ensure the rice doesn’t get too dry and the rice has a chance to cook Total cooking time will depend upon the type/brand of rice you are using, but usually takes about 20 minutes When the risotto is almost cooked, stir in the nutritional yeast Season with salt & pepper to taste Once risotto is cooked, allow it to sit for a few minutes before servingDAIRY FREE WILDFLOWER RISOTTO
Ingredients
Instructions
Risotto is my favourite!! This looks so good.
Walking through the forest looking for edible native plants sounds lovely. This risotto looks delicious!
So simple and satisfying! 🤤