I use the term foraging very loosely here. But foraging mt. Helix was a great way to start the day and a great party.
A few weeks ago I cooked a lovely dinner party in Mission Bay for a ladies getaway weekend. We had adventured up to Mount Helix that morning to play around. As we were exploring, we came across a lush patch of mustard flowers. As discovered on one of our nature hikes on Dictionary Hill, mustard flowers have a taste more like cabbage/broccoli then mustard. That instantly became the impetus for a dish.
What dish?
I didn’t know…but I knew I’d use them to accentuate a random brassica driven dish. So… while at the market later in the day, I came across illegally cute, Smurf size brussels sprouts. I decided to go with a variation of a salad I did a year or two ago. One that was based on heavily marinated brussels sprouts and grilled mushrooms. The salad was soaked with a truffle vinaigrette along with fresh herbs and other points of interest.
Whether you are picking chrysanthemums, mustard flowers or lavender. Or whether you are foraging Mt. Helix or Jamul. Make sure the product is away for the world or chest high. Dogs and whatever urinate on everything they can reach.