Recipes
Burdock and Potato Crust Quiche with Morel, Fiddlehead, and Wild Ramp
This is one of my absolute favorite dishes to celebrate the kickoff of the spring foraging season. All of the big three spring wild edibles of the northeast are represented in this dish. Combine that with the symbolism of the egg—in my culture, that represents fertility and rebirth, remember Easter eggs here. The potato is synonymous with Irish culture, though most people don’t realize they originated right here in the Americas.
Add burdock or sunchoke (keep in mind that it’s only available wild in late fall) for a truly wild flare to the crust. This feels like a truly wild way to celebrate merging cultures and traditions through a completely relatable, universally recognized dish.
Ingredients
- 4 or 5 medium-sized golden potatoes
- About half the weight of the potatoes of rinsed and peeled burdock root (substitute sunchoke if not available, or replace with two more golden potatoes)
- 6-8 oz of wild harvested yellow morel mushrooms, chopped (replace with any cultivated wild species, maitake, shitake, portabella, oyster)
- *Dozen wild harvested fiddleheads, boiled and chopped (replace with baby asparagus or Brussel sprouts)
- 8 fully mature wild harvested ramps, bulb and leaves, chopped (replace with organic cultivated leeks, add garlic or onion to taste if desired)
- 12 pasture-raised or farm-fresh eggs
- ½ stick of organic butter (substitute organic safflower or olive oil)
Optional: ½ cup of grated parmesan or asiago cheese (substitute your favorite cheese)
*Important Note: Fiddleheads are slightly toxic, containing a compound called thiaminases which in high amounts causes gastrointestinal distress. It is recommended to boil fiddleheads for about 10 minutes to leech this and other potentially harmful compounds out before ingesting.
Instructions
- There are two ways for making the quiche crust: potato and burdock, or sunchoke.The first is to fry the mixture in a cast iron skillet. Cover the mixture and add butter will ensure the starch has enough fat to keep it from sticking. Check and stir often to get an even heat throughout. It’s like making home fries. About 20 minutes at a low-medium heat. The second option is to dice the potatoes and burdock, or sunchoke, and boil until fork tender, about 30 minutes.
- Properly oil a seasoned, large cast iron skillet with oil or butter. Add the cooked potato mixture to the skillet and mash it, making sure the bottom of the pan is completely covered, and add a bit more oil or butter for good measure. Add a bit of salt and pepper if desired.
- Chop or dice the boiled fiddleheads and raw ramps, then stir-fry them in a separate pan with a skillet. After 2 minutes, add the chopped morels. 5-7 minutes on a low-medium heat until everything is tender but not falling apart.
- While you are precooking the vegetables, crack and beat the dozen eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable mixture to the beaten eggs and pour over the mashed potato crust. Place in an oven at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes.
- If cooking on open fire, top the cast iron skillet with another to create a Dutch oven effect. Open fire is highly variable on temperature so cooking times may vary. Ensure a glowing bed of embers with little flame, placing the skillet about 6-10 inches above the heat source. The quiche will be done when you insert a toothpick or skewer and no moisture or egg is visible when you remove it.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 4 or 5 minutes. The egg will fall a bit and settle on the crust, becoming a rich and flavorful meal. Portion and serve as desired.
I love a little mixed herb or parsley sprig as a garnish. A dollop of siracha or your favorite hot sauce sets this offering off nicely.
Enjoy!
