Land cress (Barbarea verna)

[Bjerreby]

Last year was my first experience with land cress, and I must say I am very impressed with it as an edible plant through the winter. It is extremely hardy, and minus 10 degrees C made no impact on it at all.

Although it is a slow starter, by late autumn I had fair sized plants, and was picking a few of the spicy leaves to put in salads. Then my wife decided to make cress soup, and I was over the moon  with the result.

So this year I shall sow maybe 50 plants.

Anyone else growand eat land cress?

[Bjerreby]

[saddad]

Just let it seed... and you'll have your 50 plants in no time. I eat it as I wander about and a bit in salads. Soup sounds like a good idea...  :)

[Hector]

I've got the seed but haven't sown it yet. When do you sow.....any chance of cress soup recipe, sounds lovely!

[thifasmom]

i have never gotten mine to germinate :'(

thanks for the self seeding tip saddad i'll keep that in mind if i ever get them to grow :-\

[Digeroo]

i have never gotten mine to germinate

No success either. 

But I have wrinkle crinkle cress and that's good during the winter and broad leaved cress which is an amazing weed.  Quite good at protecting beans from slugs.  Both green all winter.  Good for browsing. 

make cress soup

That soup sounds good what else do you put in.  I had loads of it and just feed it to the compost bin or dig it in.  Good green manure.

[tomatoada]

Recipe.  Yes please too.  About to sow some for first time after tasting some given to me by neighbouring lottie holder.  Glad this came up.

[Bjerreby]

I did say they are slow starters. Give them time, and keep the seed tray out of the sun, just moist. They'll come.

Regarding the recipe, I am not the cook, okay? It is my missus who cooks, and she is busy.

So having said that, without prejudice:

Ingredients

125 g cress
450 g diced potatoes
450 g sliced leeks
5 tb whipping cream
2 litres water
Salt

Simmer the leeks and potatoes with a pinch of salt in water for 40 minutes then add the water cress and simmer for 5 another minutes. Take off the heat and mash everything. Add the cream just before serving, and sprinkle a few blanched cress leaves over the top.

I am sure she will correct me when she reads this..... ::)

[thifasmom]

wow you know she is going to read this and you re still rolling your eyes, hmm like to live dangerously then ;) ;D

if i want to sow direct without using a seed tray what is the best spot, will it grow well in a shady spot?

[Bjerreby]

It grows well in shade, and in fact I think it prefers it. I have it with my parsley.

My missus is Danish..........

Hamlet act 1 scene 1.............."Thou art a scholar; speak to it Horatio!"  ;D

So I did (about the recipe), and of course, she had different ideas. For example, she gently fries 2 onions till they are soft, and adds them, plus she puts rice in.

Having received this new information........

Hamlet act 1 scene 1 (a few lines further down)............Marcellus "It is offended!" Bernardo "See, it stalks away!"  :)

[thifasmom]

 ;D ;D

[saddad]

I find it self seeds into both but you get bigger plants if it is damp (before they run to seed too!)  :-X

[small]

I love land cress but find it's one of those things that needs fresh seed each year, like parsnips. Last year I grew a variegated variety which was hot as you-know-where and stood through the winter. It's the sort of plant that really makes growing your own worth while.

[angle shades]

 :D if you let it go to seed it has yellow flowers which insects love , its also very tasty in salads / shades x

[1066]

OK, another thing to grow next year  :D Thanks for posting this Bjerreby

1066