Re: crambe cordifolia in medit climate?
Gary wrote:
>Is there a season of edibility (I presume it's the leaves eaten as greens?)? Any
>good short recipes? What is it most like, collards, perhaps?
No it is one of those 'odd' things that needs to be blanched to
provide white, young shoots which are lightly simmered in stock until
tender and served like asparagus, lightly buttered. I find a
sprinkling of fresh dill adds greatly to the flavour. It was a great
favourite here in Victorian and Edwardian times and no self respecting
household would be without it in the vegetable garden.
The crown is lifted in November and all the leaves cut away. It is
crammed into a pot large enough to hold the roots with a bit of
compost and kept dark in temperatures of around 50 - 55F. The shoots
which develop after about 4 weeks are best cut when between 6 - 9"
high - any larger and they become coarse and fibrous. The crowns are
discarded afterwards.
Alternatively outdoor plants have their leaves stripped away in late
November. Very large pots are placed over the crowns, making sure
than no light can enter otherwise the shoots will be intensely bitter.
Eating sized shoots take about 6 - 8 weeks to develop in this way and
ideally only one crop should be taken from young plants, but a second
crop can be safely taken from old, well established crowns. After
cutting has finished, the crowns are gradually hardened to light and
air and given a good top dressing of manure to help them to recover.
Unfortunately, such an ordeal does not allow the plant to produce good
flowers as well, so it is best to have a few crowns for eating and a
few for the flower border. Being easily increased from root cuttings
or division, this should not pose a problem. Like asparagus, Sea Kale
crowns are best grown on for at least 2 - 3 years before cropping.
Dave Poole
TORQUAY UK
