HORTA: Some Greek Edible Wild Greens

We never uproot the wild greens, but cut off the leafy part with a knife. They will grow again next year.

We never uproot the wild greens, but cut off the leafy part with a knife. They will grow again next year.

Some greens have very long woody roots that pierce the rocks in search of water.

CICHORIUM, one of the several chicories–radiki in Greek—the most common bitter green throughout the country.

SONCHUS OLERACEUS (sow thistle). Zochós is the precious weed that grows in most gardens. It is my favorite green with a sweet, earthy flavor.

Sonchus' hollow stem has a milky sap; ancient Greeks considered it especially beneficial.

LIMONIUM SINATUM, winged sea lavender (provátsa in Greek) is considered a rare delicacy for the inhabitants of the Cycladic islands. Sea Lavender is grown all over the world for its papery flowers that dry without losing their shape and color.

LIMONIUM SINATUM, winged sea lavender (provátsa) is considered a rare delicacy for the inhabitants of the Cycladic islands. Sea Lavender is grown all over the world for its papery flowers that dry without losing their shape and color.

LIMONIUM SINATUM, winged sea lavender (provátsa is considered a rare delicacy for the inhabitants of the Cycladic islands. Sea Lavender is grown all over the world for its papery flowers that dry without losing their shape and color.

The fresh sea lavender leaves are cooked with pork on the islands and their tangy flavor is complemented with avgolemono
(egg and lemon sauce).

TARAXACUM OFFICINALE; the French call it ‘pissenlit’. A most succulent bitter green. It is called galatsida and is much sought-after in the Cyclades.

SINAPIS ALBA (white mustard greens); our favorite bittersweet vrouves (porýchia, in Kea). We blanch the succulent shoots and eat them with lemony vinaigrette or with a light garlic sauce.

RESEDA ALBA (white mignonette); the fresh shoots are the favorite sweet horta of my island, Kea. Its slightly unpleasant smell disappears when blanched. Eaten in boiled salads, mixed with other, preferably bitter greens.

PIMPINELLA SAXIFRAGA (Lesser or Salad Burnet). The caucalis of the ancients. This wonderfully fragrant green is added to raw salads, but also to the mixture of greens used in hortopites (greens' pies).

PIMPINELLA SAXIFRAGA (Lesser or Salad Burnet). The caucalis of the ancients. This wonderfully fragrant green is added to raw salads, but also to the mixture of greens used in hortopites (greens' pies).

A handful of burnet can turn a pie of frozen spinach into something exceptional!

SILENE INFLATA (Scuplit). The young shoots are eaten raw in salads, and cooked with other greens in the lemony stews of Crete. In Italy it is cultivated, and added to salads, egg dishes, and risotto.

Nettles lose their sting when blanched. Young shoots are wonderfully sweet and bright green.

My nettle soup with garlic and mushrooms.

CICHORIUM SPINOSUM: the popular Cretan stamnangáthi. Young tender shoots grow between semi hard thorns. Cultivated now it is quite expensive both in Crete and in Athens.

CHRYSANTHEMUM CORONARIUM (crown daisy). Before it blooms, the tender shoots are eaten raw or boiled in salads. They have an asparagus-like sweetness. I heard that Chinese eat them too.

Braised mixed greens with scallions, finished with egg and lemon sauce, and scented with wild fennel.

I learned from my grandfather to appreciate the nutritious broth where the greens have been blanched.

I often use mashed wild greens in my bread dough.

Wild greens need to soak in several changes of water, then very carefully rinsed, to get rid of the sand and dirt.

Blanched horta (greens) are lifted with a fork so the occasional sand that has not been rinsed remains at the bottom of the pan.

Simply served with fresh lemon and fruity olive oil horta are our favorite winter salad.

Poor people's lunch: horta (wild greens) dressed with plenty of olive oil and lemon juice, accompanied with fresh bread and olives.

Tsigareli of Corfu: wild greens sautéed with garlic and hot pepper are often served over polenta.

Blanched greens, and various fried greens' pies from Crete.