Eggplant and the fluff from cattails? Can that even be edible? I'm not joking! Come into my post for some wild food - literally and figuratively!
Who Says Cattail Fluff Is Edible?
People often ask how I know so many edible plants. I put in a lot of effort to study and learn -- and experiment. I don't just go out and start trying any wild plants. I look for the experience that other people have. And I'm willing to be surprised -- pleasantly or otherwise.
I've been skeptical about eating cattail fluff - the soft, fluffy seeds from mature cattail heads. They've been used for ages for stuffing mattresses and pillows, but they don't seem any more edible than the insides of a sofa cushion! I stand corrected now - and appreciate them as food, too.
I ran across a YouTube video, where The Last Grownup in the Woods made some interesting cattail fluff muffins - that she ultimately did not enjoy. Then I found an article by Erin Froehlich, who discovered a tasty meat substitute from the cattail fluff. But that wasn't enough to convince me.
Then, I found a Facebook post recounting a cooking class they took at the Leech Lake Tribal College in Minnesota. In that class, an archeological field director with the Chippewa National Forest, Matt Mattson, had taught everyone to make Cattail Fluff Griddlecakes. He used a traditional tribal recipe, with natural leavening provided by campfire ashes. I further discovered that this class has been taught for several years. That's the evidence I needed!
So many cultures have unique food traditions. I'm willing to try most any of them. They can be a great source for learning how to use wild foods. I was convinced -- and ready to try my own experiment!
Cooking With Eggplant and Cattail Fluff
I like to eat eggplant! One of my favorite ways of cooking eggplant is to slowly roast it in an oven. That brings out all the sweetness, even in older eggplant, like you might find in a typical grocery store. It makes the eggplant so soft -- with a texture that bothers some people.
So it seemed like a natural pairing to mix the soft, sweet, gooey roasted eggplant with the slightly nutty, dry fluffiness of cattail fluff. Based on the recipes I reviewed, I decided to mix the two in a food processor, so the cattail fluff would be more thoroughly mixed in with the eggplant.
I didn't want to dilute the flavors of either the eggplant or the cattail fluff. So I didn't want to add eggs, herbs or spices, or flour to the mixture to make it more thick for cooking. So I simply rolled small balls of the mixture in flour and then cooked them in a little olive oil. I served them on small pieces of homegrown kale, with a slice of a homegrown Juliet cherry tomato and a honey-mustard sauce.
A Taste Test Review
So how did these "tiny bites" taste? Surprisingly good! They are really good when they are piping hot. I ate a lot of these in putting together this one plate, so I know their taste holds up well when they are hot. They are less good when they have cooled off -- the cattail fluff got more chewy.
I also put a layer of the mixture in an oiled casserole dish, baked it in the oven at 350F degrees for about 30 minutes, and used that as a sandwich filling. I'll admit, that was too much eggplant and cattail fluff!
Will I try cooking with Cattail fluff again? Now that the Steemit Iron Chef Eggplant experience is over, I do want to try cattail fluff again. I'll try the Leech Lake tribe's recipe and I'll try the fake meat recipe, too. Then I'll be able to report back whether I think it's worth eating cattail fluff. But I do know I will always enjoy roasted eggplant!
What Do You Think?
- Do you like to eat eggplant?
- Have you eaten any part of cattails?
- Would you try my eggplant-cattail fluff tiny bites?
- What recipe would you use to experiment with eating cattail fluff?
I eat a lot of wild plants and show you how, because I believe that we can all have lives that are richer, more secure, more grounded, and more interesting by getting to know the plants and the land around us – in our yards, our parks, and our wild places.
I would like Steemit to be the premier site for Foraging on the Internet! If you have any thoughts about foraging, or experiences to share, write a post and be sure to use the Foraging tag. And check out the @foraging-trail to see curated quality posts about foraging. Happy Foraging!
Thanks @progressivechef for creating the Steemit Iron Chef contest series. I haven't been able to be on Steemit much lately, but I can't miss the contest series or I would miss out on my 1 point! ;D
Wild Plant List
- Cattail - Typha latifolia - fluff from mature seedheads
