BORAGE!

[Miss J]

Being the fledgling green thumb that I am, I'm delighted to announce that I have successfully grown borage. In fact, my borage is so successful that it's seems to be a little larger with each passing hour, and I fully expect it to soon overwhelm the rest of the bed. It's like Day of the Triffids out there.  :wow:

Anyone know what I can do with it? I need to start consuming borage flowers and leaves soon...before the borage consumes me!

Miss J

[Sandra Levine]

Here's some more information, maybe more information than you wanted to know, about borage.  It seems to have some psycho-active properties, although perhaps no more than coffee or chocolate.

Borage

Nothing about how to actually use it with food, though. Isn't it supposed to taste something like celery? A Google search for borage recipes turns up a lot, but I can't vouch for any of them.  It seems that the plant -- either the flowers or leaves -- is used in Germany.  Maybe Peter Wolf can help.

[Miss J]

Psycho-active properties? Wa-hey...borage roll-ups!  

That reminds me of a story about my gran (a truely magnificent gardener) and her prized poppies. For years she grew beautiful poppies and carefully saved the seed heads, as the variety was difficult to find and she was very fond of the colour. One season, a group of nice young people came to her door and asked if she would give them some of the seed heads when they were ready. Of course, she agreed immediately. A few weeks later a few more young people showed up asking if they could have some seed heads. And a week later...

It took gran a month to realise that she had be cultivating opium poppies, and that the young people were not in fact avid gardeners.  

..but back to borage. I like the idea in the linked article to make a summer tonic - makes me wonder if I could add it to Pimms Cup. As for the taste of the leaves, I think I'll give it a try first thing in the morning - it's a wee bit dark out there to graze at the moment. I'll let you know what I find!

Miss J

[Basildog]

am i the only one who read this topic title and sang "Borage, what is it good for.absolutely nothing....say it again HUH! " ?

[Jinmyo]

Actually, it's good for all kinds of things. The greens and flowers are both edible. Nice in salads with seeded cucumber, ham or bacon. and creme fraiche. You can even deep-fry it. Very nice.

About as psychoactive as cucumber, ham or bacon, and creme fraiche.

edit full disclosure: "greens", not "grens".

[Sandra Levine]

Creme fraiche does it for me.

[Miss J]

am i the only one who read this topic title and sang "Borage, what is it good for.absolutely nothing....say it again HUH! " ?

Nope - that's precisely what I was thinking. I like a little pacifist funk with my mystery greens.  

Miss J

[Miss J]

The borage report:

I've a couple of the tender young leaves in my hand. They're pale green (contrasting to the rest of the plant, which as very thick, dark leaves) and strangely fuzzy. It's like a cross between peach fuzz and the teeny hairs on a stinging nettle, only without the sting.

When I pop one into my mouth, my first impression is - FERNS. They have that fuzzy, crunchy green mouth feel. (Yes, I was the kind of child who tried eating young, curled-up fern heads because I was fascinated by Maritime fiddleheads.) But once I get past that first sensation, I guess they're a little cucumber-y. They're very mild, and have a very fresh scent when crushed that would be great in a Pimms Cup. I'm not sure I'd make a whole salad out of them, but they'd probably make an interesting component in one.

Jinmyo, I'm interested in the deep fried leaf concept. I'll have to let you know how it turns out. Even though I'm terribly disappointed to find out it that I'm not going to be hawking London's first underground borage supply.  

Miss J

[Jim Dixon]

Basildog...my first thought exactly, altho' more like this:

Borage...Good God Y'all....what is it good for?

Jim

[Adam_Balic]

Curses, I was going to say that they are good in Pimm's & Lemonade too. You can crystalize the flowers, like violets. Leaves are OK in sandwiches (a little rough in texture to my taste). Also, leaves and flowers make a nice garnish for poached Salmon.

[Jinmyo]

Adam, I like borage in sandwiches! I chiffonade the leaves.

[Adam_Balic]

Adam, I like borage in sandwiches! I chiffonade the leaves.

Sure chiffonade, chiffonade goes without saying, but it's those little spiky hairs that put me off.

[B Edulis]

Ditto, those hairs! Just like a man's jaw the morning after....

[Jinmyo]

I know what you mean. And it's not something I've often done. But I've found it not a problem as long as there's enough stuff in the sandwich.