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Monday, September 19, 2011

Springtime, onion weed time (and more book reviews)





The fields of Oratia are once again full with onion weed. Yes it is a weed, but it is edible and tastes very nice too. In fact when I discovered that I could eat it I stopped planting spring onions in the veggie garden, and started foraging instead. The weed has pretty white flowers and a strong spring onion smell. You can eat the flowers, the leaves, the stems, the bulbs... basically everything except the dirt!




 One of the first things I make with fresh onion weeds is usually a nice raw sauce for pasta: just put the onion weed (every part of it) in the blender (leave out a few flowers for decoration) and blend with a little water, some feta cheese (Vegans can omit this and use a little tofu + salt and pepper instead) and some roasted cashew nuts. Add a little olive oil and toss into your hot pasta. This is a very filling dish and the sauce has a beautiful pale green colour.


And now for more book reviews: here there is a lovely one by Emma McCleary from The Booksellers New Zealand Blog, and you can win a book on their FB page (you got until Wed.) 

 Another article was in the Aucklander, you can read it here, and Kazuyo wrote about the book launch in her blog (sorry, this is in Japanese). And on a completely different subject, if you are in Auckland and interested in Vegan chocolate cakes, check out this Slow Food Waitakere class! 

 Ciao
Alessandra


Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

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33 comments:

  1. Red Nomad OZSeptember 19, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    Well, I never knew it was edible! I've had NO LUCK with growing spring onions anyway - but luckily onion weed is EVERYWHERE downunder in OZ! So looking forward to a free, fab, fun frolic to pick some!!!

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  2. TamtamSeptember 19, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    sì io la conosco e la mangio, adoro tutte queste erbe che crescono nei prati....ma non ho capito, da te è già primavera o la pianta la chiamate primavera? è cipolloto selvatico, tu sentissi il sapore dei porri selvatici, quelli sì che fanno impazzire.....;)..un caro saluto

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  3. LoredanaSeptember 19, 2011 at 9:58 PM

    ...una meraviglia di ricetta e di fotografia!!
    ciao loredana

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  4. AlessandraSeptember 19, 2011 at 10:05 PM

    Tam, qui e' primavera... anche se accidenti piove in continuazione sti giorni! La pianta si chiama onion weed ma in Italia io non l'avevo mai vista.

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  5. rosaria orrùSeptember 19, 2011 at 10:28 PM

    che fortunaaaa...da noi comincia l'autunnooo...oggi poi diluviaaaaa.....auguri anche al tuo bimbo

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  6. JimSeptember 19, 2011 at 10:46 PM

    I'll stop spraying it and start chewing it...that'll control it.

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  7. Emma GallowaySeptember 20, 2011 at 12:48 AM

    Awesome! I've often wondered if they are edible. I've been keen to try cooking with Onion scapes one day too. I think they would taste pretty much the same. Good work on all the amazing book reviews so far!

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  8. DianeSeptember 20, 2011 at 1:16 AM

    Wish we had onion weed here!! Diane

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  9. UnknownSeptember 20, 2011 at 3:34 AM

    che perfezione! complimenti, fa venire davvero l'acquolina in bocca! bacioni :)

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  10. MartissimaSeptember 20, 2011 at 6:08 AM

    il fiore mi ricorda un po' l'aglio orsino, il suo sapore però è di cipolla, quindi è un'altra cosa, ma sempre di soddisfazione se trovata nel proprio orticello........se penso che tu vai verso la primavera e io verso le giornate corte mi deprimo......quanto vorrei svernare come le rondini.......ciauzzzzz

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  11. Mari Sterling WilburSeptember 20, 2011 at 7:06 AM

    Yum - what a delicious post for both taste buds and eyes! Your blog is beautiful to the senses! I'm now following and will be back for future recipes.


    http://www.mariscamera.blogspot.com/
    Join my blog and learn Photography Tips

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  12. Vic RobinsonSeptember 20, 2011 at 7:24 AM

    Spring!??!?! Haha! We are just rolling into autumn! :)

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  13. BarbaraSeptember 20, 2011 at 8:20 AM

    ok ok i cipollotti in effetti non sono la cosa migliore per un incontro a due.......ma cotti sono dolcissimi e la tua ricetta poi è un amore!
    mi accodo a Tamtam per i porri selvatici ^^
    Bibi

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  14. PuffinSeptember 20, 2011 at 9:01 AM

    che bello la primavera!!! è la mia stagione preferita!
    bellissime le foto e appetitoso il piatto!!baci

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  15. AlessandraSeptember 20, 2011 at 10:24 AM

    @ Jim, well said! Better and more eco to eat than to spray!

    @ Diane, I never seen these in Italy either.

    @ Astro, vorrei proprio vedere l'aglio orsino e paragonare, ma forse l'odore e' un misto fra cipolla e aglio...

    @ B, hanno un sapore meno forte dei cipollotti pero', che non rimane a lungo, penso che vadano bene anche per le cene a due :-).

    @ Mary, welcome, I'll come to visit you soon :-)

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  16. purabi nahaSeptember 20, 2011 at 6:30 PM

    Alessandra, very nice photographs and I loved this preparation. The book reviews are very helpful for foodies like me!!

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  17. Antonella MiceliSeptember 20, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    Buongiorno Alessandra!
    Che dire di questa preparazione; accostamenti tra loro di ingredienti fantastici, questa è arte!
    Complimenti.
    Antonella.

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  18. Lorraine @ Not Quite NigellaSeptember 20, 2011 at 9:55 PM

    I didn't realise that this was a weed-it looks like little spring onions! :)

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  19. Zo @ Two SpoonsSeptember 20, 2011 at 10:33 PM

    This is so cool! The flowers look so pretty too. Thanks for the heads up!

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  20. muppySeptember 20, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    i never knew you could eat that!
    congrats on the book too, sorry life has been so full for me lately i haven't had a chance to look.....

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  21. Gloria BakerSeptember 21, 2011 at 2:56 AM

    This plate look delicious Im hungry Alessandra! I love the pixtures! gloria

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  22. MartissimaSeptember 21, 2011 at 6:59 AM

    no no .....l'aglio orsino sa proprio di aglio....^ __ ^

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  23. ArtùSeptember 21, 2011 at 7:11 AM

    sarò anche ripetitiva, ma le tue foto sono sempre così invitanti che a volte mi perdo e leggo dopo aver commentato...sarò un pò strana eh???

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  24. franci e valeSeptember 21, 2011 at 7:46 AM

    Ciao carissima, bellissima questa salsa per la pasta!! Neanch'io le ho viste mai qui....oddio, forse i fiori si, ma non pensavo che ci fosse anche un cipollotto così interessante! Leggere i tuoi post dall'altra parte del mondo fa sembrare le distanza davvero piccoline, così sembra impossibile che le stagioni siano l'inverso di qui!! ciaoooooo

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  25. La Gaia CeliacaSeptember 21, 2011 at 8:06 AM

    questi "cosi" farebbero la felicità della mia eterea bambina, grande amante di cipolle e simili, anche crude ;-)

    contenta per tutto il successo che sta avendo il vostro libro, ve lo meritate!

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  26. BarbaraSeptember 21, 2011 at 11:58 AM

    This pasta dish looks yummy, Alessandra. What a gorgeous green color - a lily pesto!

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  27. AlessandraSeptember 21, 2011 at 12:22 PM

    @ Lorraine, it looks like spring onion except for the flower.

    @ Zo, do you have it in Chch?

    @ Muppy, there you go, now you can eat it :-).

    @ Astro, sono curiosissima di provare l'aglio orsino!!!

    @lle signore italiane, grazie siete troppo care e preziose tutte :-).

    @ Barbara, I like the name lily pesto, the flower looks like a little like a lily of the valley :-).

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  28. AnonymousSeptember 21, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Adoro cipolle, cipolline, cipollotti ed erbe cipolline! Ergo, adoro la tua ricetta! La fotografia rende proprio l'idea della cremina e il colore è proprio invitante. Da provare.

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  29. Couscous & ConsciousnessSeptember 21, 2011 at 10:52 PM

    Wow, I'm amazed - I had no idea you could eat this. Your sauce looks and sounds beautiful.
    xo

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  30. YariSeptember 22, 2011 at 9:20 AM

    Also wonderful in a good farinata...

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  31. Johanna KnoxOctober 3, 2011 at 1:37 PM

    I am late to the party - but a gorgeous post, and congratulations on your reviews ... This week is the week I buy a copy!! xxx

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  32. AlessandraOctober 3, 2011 at 9:38 PM

    Let me know if you like it Johanna :-)

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  33. UnknownMarch 12, 2015 at 9:54 PM

    I read you blog this is awesome post, really appreciate for this great post thanks for this information.
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    ReplyDelete

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