Of all the wild herbs I’ve cooked with in the Yukon, I like pineapple weed or wild chamomile the best
Of all the wild herbs I’ve cooked with in the Yukon, I like pineapple weed or wild chamomile the best. It truly does taste like both pineapple and chamomile, making it a versatile addition to the northern kitchen. When fresh, its gentle, floral flavour combines well with wild or garden greens, or cooked briefly in butter and poured over asparagus with a squeeze of lemon. Dried, it can be added to shortbread cookies, custard or ice cream, as a substitute for vanilla; and fresh or dried, it makes a beautiful tea.
The flowers are more potent than the leaves, but I tend to pick both and use the whole plant, snipping off above the root, so it will grow again next year, and only taking a few stems from each plant.
In mid-July I went looking for pineapple weed in my neighbourhood, only to discover that the flowers were not quite ready. By the time you read this, they should be. (Here’s a secret: these stories are written two weeks before you see them. It’s a bit of a guessing game to figure out what will be suitable for harvest at publication time, and plants, berries and mushrooms mature at different rates in different regions. We try, though; we really do. Aiming ever to please.)
I have a jar of dried pineapple weed in the cupboard from 2014 and it was as potent as ever, so I could afford to wait. (Unlike dried yarrow or pasture sage, pineapple weed retains its flavour for ages.)
To dry pineapple weed, spread it out on trays in the food dehydrator set at 100F for five hours, to start. Keep checking. When dry and brittle, it’s ready. Another option is to turn on the oven light, spread the herbs on baking trays and leave them in the oven for eight to 12 hours. (Place a note on the temperature panel to remind yourself there’s something in the oven.)
Then you can make Pineapple Weed Syrup and open up a world of culinary possibilities.
(As always when wild harvesting, be sure of your identification, and if it’s your first time trying pineapple weed, start with a small sample.)
Pineapple Weed (Wild Chamomile) Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup about 1 oz dried pineapple weed, both stems and flowers (substitute 3 or 4 chamomile tea bags)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Combine pineapple weed and water in a small pot, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove pot from heat and allow mixture to steep for about 20 minutes.
- Strain into a clean pot through a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Twist the cheesecloth into a bundle and squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Add 1 cup of sugar to the pot. Bring to the boil and cook just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. For a stronger flavour, tie off the bundle of pineapple weed and soak it in the syrup while it cools. Squeeze the bundle to extract the liquid before you pour into jars.
- Once the syrup is at room temperature, pour it into a clean jar and refrigerate. Will keep for up to one month.
Notes
Pineapple and Lime Summer Cooler
Ingredients
- 2 oz pineapple weed syrup
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 4 oz soda water
- A slice of lime for garnish
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a rocks glass, over ice. Stir and add a slice of lime for garnish.
Notes
Pineapple Weed and Tahini Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp pineapple weed syrup
- 2 Tbsp tahini
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together syrup, tahini and lemon juice.
- Whisk in olive oil and add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve at room temperature. Transfer any leftovers to a small jar and refrigerate. Allow to warm to room temperature before serving. Will keep for up to two weeks.
