Another Cabbage Creation

Cabbage cake (similar to potato hash browns) with spicy yogurt aioli.

Today's Roadside Forage

No "leakers" and a cabbage too...

Today's Roadside Forage

Freshly found road tomatoes - Two good'uns and a "leaker"...

Chestnuts - Yes, But Not Roasting on an Open Fire

Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to spot a couple of chestnut trees growing on an abandoned property on my way into work. I was not quite sure how to prepare them other than roasting them on an open fire, but since Jack Frost has not yet started to nip at the noses of those in the Southeast, an open fire was nowhere to be found. After some experimentation, it seems that the easiest way to prepare a chestnut is to simply cut an "X" in the outer hull and boil for about 15 minutes. After sampling them both raw and cooked and realizing that their taste was rather bland, I correctly surmised that chestnuts can be successfully combined into more complex dishes where they will add their own subtle flavor and texture. This is evidenced in the pictured Sambuca shrimp and shallots with chestnuts in a cayenne and chive cream sauce. The wife, however, stated (incorrectly, I might add) that the dish was wonderful, EXCEPT for the chestnuts...

A Nice "Pear"

Rarely will you stumble across a comestible that looks as unappetizing as a prickly pear cactus. Nevertheless, both parts of the above-ground portion of this thorny BASTARD (try "picking" prickly pear pads without gloves and you will discover that you too have the propensity for uttering expletives once reserved for only the saltiest of sailors) are edible. While cacti are typically thought of as strictly denizens of the desert, prickly pears are commonly found both in the wild and sometimes not-so-wild ornamental landscape plantings throughout the foothills region. The pads, referred to south-of-the-border as "nopales", are actually quite tasty and make a yummy addition to the pictured Mexican-Malaysian-Foraging fusion dish of Shrimp and Eggplant Curry with Nopales and Dandelion Greens.