Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Poke Sallet or (Poke Weed as is called in books), was a staple in many families, including ours, but I didn't like greens of any kind. I did help Mom pick them, but I wasn't very selective. She just wanted the small leaves.
When young the taste is great, including the stalk. When older it requires longer cooking, and once the stalk have turned red, DO NOT EAT the stalk. The very red berries are also not good for people, except as ink for your quill pen. I read that letters still exist which were written during the Civil War with this, all natural, ink. The plant is an attractive garden plant if you let it grow.
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Directions: |
Directions:YOUNG POKE SPROUTS
Here is my father, Thomas Osmon's instructions. He usually fixes a mess or two a year. Pick the very young poke weed, eight inches or less. These sprouts and small leaves can be cooked very quickly in a bit of water, or stir-fried briefly in fat. Eat as side dish, or they can then be added to a scrambled egg, if you like. Or just toss with enought egg to hold together, like we do with fried potatoes.
OLDER POKE LEAVES
My Mother, Ruth Norton Osmon, learned about greens, mushrooms, and herbs like sorrell from her Mother, Almar Sanders Norton. Mom and also Dessie Caro said, if eating the larger leaves it is recommended that they be boiled in a large pot of water briefly, then discard the water, repeat that process, then put them on to cook. Dessie said her mother would cook them on very low heat on the back of the stove for several hours, while they were working in the fields. Ruth said they didn't have to cook a long time, if cooked on high heat, and everyone puts some fat meat in them. |
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