Etc.
Chew Your Weeds Three new plants to try
EAT THE ENEMY
At Craft New York, citrusy purslane tips cut the fattiness of foie gras torchon. The weed was introduced to the U.S. by early settlers from Europe; left unchecked, it forms a dense carpet.
Clever chefs fight against invasive species— by serving them for dinner By Maridel Reyes
where most of them don’t have natural predators, these organisms multiply— often at a rapid pace— causing environmental stress, infrastructure harm, and even health problems. Pioneering chefs are taking sustainability one step further by working with foragers, fishermen,
and hunters as a form of edible conservation. “I was looking to utilize ingredients that may not be mainstream,” says Taylor Naples of Craft New York. “Then I realized these items had great flavor.” Here’s a global guide to some of the animals, fish, and plants you might order next.
The tart leaves of Japanese knotweed are pickled and fried at Miya’s Sushi in New Haven. First brought from Asia as an ornamental, it chokes most ecosystems and disrupts landscaping.
g Wild Boar Bruschetta The hogs, which are native to Europe and Asia, were first brought over by explorers to the U.S. in the 1700s. Eventually, they broke free from their owners
and went feral, and now you’ll find them coast to coast. At Giorgio’s in Salinas, Calif., chef Alessio Giannuzzi serves his swine with tomato bruschetta and prosciutto he cures himself. Boar meat is dark and
lean, packing a more intense flavor than cured ham, like a gamey version of regular pork. Giannuzzi also adds boar—a popular meat in Italy—to a ragout for pasta dishes such as pappardelle and lasagna.
Other Guilt-Free Meats Sick of eating pork? There are several more exotic options. In Puerto Rico, kiosks sell iguana kebabs. In Fitzroy, Australia, Charcoal Lane offers a wild rabbit terrine. In Miami, several cooks are experimenting with Burmese python—the escaped pets are destroying the Everglades.
BRUSCHETTA: PHOTOGRAPH BY MOLLY MATALON FOR BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK. TACOS: PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC HELGAS FOR BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK
72
You’ve heard of the locavore, but what about the invasivore? Whether it’s lionfish, which are ruining reefs in Mexico, or wild boar, tearing up California valleys, invasive species are the latest offering on menus around the world. After being accidentally introduced to local habitats,
Garlic mustard enlivens a marinade for alpaca strip loin at Juniper in Burlington, Vt. In nature, the plant out-competes wildflowers and gets in the way of grazing fauna.
