Feed on Weeds part 1 - COSCI VECCHI

Welcome to my first article on edible weeds. Growing up as in a Sicilian family with fairly old school parents culinary wise you were sure to eat greens that most non-Sicilians would call weeds, but our family would call mangiare or food.

The first green I’d like to present to you is Cosci Vecchi – which literally means “old legs” in Sicilian. My parents and I don’t have a clue why they are called this, if you have any insights, please let me know.

So for years I have wondered what exactly are Coshi Vecchi? I mean is there a word for them in English or Italian? My parents were no real help here. My mother would tell me “only we Sicilians eat these, they don’t even know what they are on the continent (meaning mainland Italy), there is no word for them in Italian”. My father would tell me “I think they are dandelions.”

No disrespect ma and papa – but you are both wrong. After a bit of research using good old trusty Google and Wikipedia I have found the answer. Cosci Vecchi in Italian are Costolina and in English are Catsear (or cat's ear) or sometimes refered to as flat weed or false dandelion (pop – it’s people like you who gave it this name!)

Check out the Wikipedia page on Carsear for more info.

So how do you grow these catsears? In short – you don’t need to. They practically grow everywhere. Well at least in Sydney Australia they do in public lawns, parks and fields. My parent often go out to a public field and pick them. The best time to pick them in Australia is around late autumn/winter – before they flower.All the weeds in these photos were gathered in June 2010.

Are they safe eat?

All I can say is I have been eating them for years and I am alive and kicking – but I take no responsibility for you and your health so make sure you pick the right weed. Get yourself a book on weed identification or whatever. Maybe enlist the help of your neighborhood elderly Sicilian (Greeks eat them too!)

Are they Hygienic to Eat? Yes -  As long as you wash them well (as instructed below) you’ll remove any dirt on them and YES any cats/dogs piss that may be on them. Remember, that parsley and other herbs growing in your garden have probably been pissed on by a cat – that’s why you wash them! If you still are not comfortable with eating greens and other vegetables that may have been pissed on by a dog or cat – you’d better stick to eating store bought - green house grown stuff only.

How do you pick them.

Get a weeding fork. Get down low (bend at the knees for the sake of your back) and pull them out of the ground- roots and all - just like your weeding . The landscaper of the property will love you for it.

How do you prepare them before cooking?

The preparation can be a little time consuming. Here is my mother's a pictorial guide....

Get yourself confortable in the great outdoors... 

Using a small knife remove the hard root end, and remove any leaves that don't look like they are a healthy green or are yellow

Should look like this....

Some leaves will fall off, some will stay in tack. Keep them all...

Now wash them well. place them in a big tub or sink of water and drain. 
Do this 2 or 3 times to remove all the dirt and grit.

Don't they look so fresh and so clean?! Ready for cooking...

How do you cook them?

It’s easy. Here is how my mamma stag does it…

1) Fill a large pot with about enough water to cover the amount of coshi vecchi you are cooking. This can be tricky as the with all leafy greens they wilt (i.e., shrink) as soon as you start cooking them. As a rule of thumb if you say have a mass of these greens enough to fill a pot raw then you need say about 1/3 - 1/2 a pot of water. 

2) Salt the water well (about a teaspoon of salt per litre of water).

3) Bring the water to the boil and toss in the Cosci Vecchi and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes (or as my mother says “until they are tender”). 

4) Drain them using a colander.

5) In the same pot you boiled them in - add a good glug of olive oil and put it on medium heat

6) Toss in a clove or two of chopped garlic and a chopped fresh chilli two or chilli flakes) – let fry for 2-3 minutes. Careful not to burn the garlic.

7) Toss in the drained Coschi Vecchi – fry them for about 4-5 minutes, tossing them gently a few times..

They are now ready to serve and eat – hot, warm or cold. They’ll keep in the fridge in a sealed container for 3 – 4 days (OK to re-heat).

Helen, a Greek friend of mine,  also eats them. Her family cooks them slightly different. Just follow steps 1 to 4 above (but don’t salt the water), then on a plate dress the drained coshi vecchi with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and good sprinkle of salt.

What do you eat them with?

You can just eat them with some good Italian Bread on the side. The bread is great for soaking up the juices (ie, the broth you’ll find in your plate), bit of pecorino on the plate here goes down a treat. Or you can eat them as a side green – that is with your steak, fish or chicken.

If you want to get fancy – make yourself a Cosci Vecchi Bruschetta.

They are also simply great as a side green to beef, lamb, chicken, fish, duck, quail, kangaroo........you get the idea.

What do they taste like?

The only way I can describe them is they have an earthy, slightly bitter taste – but unlike any other green.

Enjoy your Cosci Vecchi, Old legs, Catsear, Costolina or whatever you want to call them!!! - YUM.