The Feisty Forager: Dock
March Madness — Day 21
Dock (Rumex spp.) is a ubiquitous plant in the Southern mountains, surfacing in fields, yards, garden plots and along roadsides. There are many different species, but all bear resemblance, and a similar lemony effect to sorrel, with which it shares a genus.
Frankly, I would stand by my friend and forager Alan Muskat, who holds that there are a great number of plants — and mushrooms — that are “edible but forgettable”. While dock can be boiled, sautéed or eaten raw, it takes a bit of hunger to bring out its qualities, in my experience. However, I hold to the hope that some day I may be wowed.
Seeds and roots of the dock plant can also be eaten, with care taken not to over indulge. However, if you are hungry and lost in the woods or fields, a mess of dock would be a welcome addition to whatever you have in your knapsack.
This article is one of a month-long series of foraged treasures. For more recipes from the field and forest, check out Appalachian Appetite: Recipes from the Heart of America.
