Holiday Herbal Treats

Burdock Latkes:

I admit that this recipe is about 9 days late, but latkes taste good at any time of year, so I am allowing myself a little "holiday" poetic license. For those that don't know, latkes are the traditional food eaten at the time of Chanukah, which finished two days ago!  Usually, latkes are made with grated potato, flour, egg, matzah meal and a little chicken fat, but its easy to substitute with any starchy root, and of course substitute the flour and the chicken fat too, as you choose.

Burdock is a delicious and nutritious ancient food that is also used by herbalists for medicine as a restorative and gentle herb for liver support. Its especially useful during times when the body needs some encouragement to ease sluggishness that might be causing  slow digestion, skin inflammation, or allergies. Its also an excellent prebiotic food, which for those in the know, is an important component for healthy gut flora.

Texturally, burdock is similar to the parsnip, and is a little tougher and fibrous than a potato. For this reason, adding a little sweet potato into the mix is a seamless addition.

This root is harvested in the Fall before the ground freezes, so if you can find it now, it will likely have been dug up a few weeks ago. I bought the roots I used, from the Park Slope Co Op, one of which you can see in the top left corner of the photo. Look for them in your local farmers market.

Recipe: 

1 cup of grated burdock root
1/2 cup of grated sweet potato
2 eggs
1-2 tablespoons of ground almonds
1-2 tablespoons of coconut flower
A big handful of fresh chopped herbs. (I used dill, parsley and cilantro)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

Mix the grated roots with the salt and pepper, herbs, ground almonds, and coconut flower and stir iin just enough egg to bind the latkes together.Heat a pan and add some ghee or grass fed butter. Once melted, drop about a 1/4 cup of the mixture into the pan. Flatten a little. Leave to crisp for a few minutes and then carefully turn the latke to brown on the other side.Best eaten hot!

Handmade Gift Ideas...

For the last, last minute gift giver, who is still procrastinating about what to create or purchase....A lovely quick idea is to buy some brandy and a mason jar and fill it 1/3 full with an equal mix of hawthorn berries and rose petals, available at your local herb shop. Cover the berries and petals with brandy about 2 inches from the top of the jar, and top off the mixture with raw honey. Give it a good stir and cover with parchment paper and a metal lid.

You've just made your first elixir!

You won't have time to steep and strain the herbs, as that will take a further 6 weeks, but the lucky person who receives your gift is sure to be happy with your handmade treasure. Hawthorn and rose are soothing heart remedies sure to keep the spirits buoyed during the winter months.

Make sure to label and date the jar, and add an instruction for the person who receives it, that every so often they should toss and turn their remedy to make sure the herbs stay covered with liquid. After the time has passed, the herbs can be sifted out and composted and the elixir bottled for future use.  It can be taken by the teaspoon or added to cocktails. I think it makes a good substitute for cherry brandy.

Happy Holidays