Pigweed crostini

I've had my eye on a rudely healthy pigweed plant growing with the Abraham Darby rose. I snap its stems off every now and then, and they're back in a week.

Today I cooked them.



1 Tbsp olive oil or butter or bacon grease
1/4 of an onion very finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of leaves, washed, stripped from stems
salt
1 slice of good bread
1 clove of garlic

Saute the onion until darkly golden - about 12 minutes - and add the weed leaves to the pan. Put a lid on to help the leaves steam. After a couple of minutes stir the leaves to coat with oil and test for doneness. In other words, eat one. Season with salt. Toast some very good seedy bread, rub it with garlic, and top it with the greens.


Pigweed is Amaranthus retroflexus. I nibbled on the seeds, too, raw, and they were very pleasant.


I would eat more if I had more, and there is no reason why this unwanted plant should not join the recognized ranks of Western vegetables.

Looking for another recipe for pigweed? Try morogo - South Africa's delicious. nutritious green weed stew.

For more about pigweed, read my article in the summer 2012 edition of Edible Manhattan.