Foraged parsley and onionweed loaf

RecipesForaging
Written By Elle Hendriks

No doubt that if you’ll go for a nature walk In the Wellington region, you will come across an abundance of wild Italian parsley! A lovely culinary herb but did you know it’s also an incredible medicinal herb.

Parsley is a very nutritive herb as its packed with antioxidants, and minerals, in particular a great source of iron, vitamin C, & vitamin K.
In herbal medicine, parsley is considered a tonic for the kidneys and bladder and has been used when there is retention of excess fluid in the body.
Parsley is said to be very refreshing and cleansing for the digestive system and can help reduce excess gas. Many people even swear by chewing some fresh parsley after a meal to eliminate bad breath. 

Onion Weed is an abundant winter weed - a generous and delicious alternative to spring onions or chives. The whole plant is edible - bulb, stem, & flowers. It’s a very easy one to identify with its triangular stem (which is why it’s sometimes also referred to as three-cornered leek), and has a very strong onion like smell when picked, unlike it’s lookalike - the non-edible snow drop.
These two wild herbs together, create a delicious green herby loaf, made even more yum with a thick layer of onion weed butter spread on it!

*Note: Avoid therapeutic doses of parsley in pregnancy, as some of the constituents in parsley are uterine stimulants. 

Recipe

  • Large bunch of fresh parsley

  • Bunch of fresh onionweed - the whole plant

  • ¾ cup olive oil

  • 2 ⅓ cup almond flour

  • 1 tsp sea salt

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 4 eggs - room temperature

Directions

  • Roughly chop the wild herbs and put in blender or food-processor, blend until its pesto like texture.

  • Pour in the olive oil and blend for a few more seconds.

  • Mix together the flour, sea salt, and baking powder in a bowl.

  • In a separate bowl, beat the eggs on high speed, until they look pale and creamy. Mix in the herb-oil mixture.

  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together.

  • Pour the batter into a container and refrigerate for a couple of hours, this will enhance the green colour!

  • When you’re ready to bake, pre - heat the oven to 180C, and grease a loaf tin. Pour the batter into the tin and bake until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean, approx 15-20 minutes.

  • To serve, slice the loaf and generously spread some softened onion weed butter on a slice.
    (Onion weed butter is simply a large handful of onion weed stems, finely chopped and mixed through some softened butter)

 
Elle Hendriks