Texas Spring on a Plate: Hericium 'Crab' Cakes with Sautéed Dock and Heartleaf Nettle Sauce

There have been so many fresh wild things to choose from right now and for some of us, a lot of time to gather and prepare them. With all the rain in North Texas lately I'm still getting plenty of Hericium so I decided to pull out one of my favorite recipes and put a spring spin on it. The above photo shows Hericium 'crab' cakes (made with sumac and wild onions too) sitting on a bed of sautéed dock, nettle sauce and cashew cream garnished with chickweed, radish, redbud flowers, and drummond's onion flowers. 

Above is Hericium corraloides which I find quit a bit of but any Hericium or tender Pleurotus species would work just fine.  Note the short spines and elaborate branching that distinguish H. corraloides from other Hericium species.

Athough the Hericium is the star of the show, ideas for this dish started when I decided to do something with heartleaf nettle besides soup. Nettle soup is great, I just wanted something different.
Above is a picture of heartleaf nettle (Urtica chamaedryoides). Unlike the common stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) heartleaf nettle stings really pack a punch and persist for hours, or in my experience, overnight! Fortunately, these leaves are edible when carefully collected and then boiled.

close up of leaves and stem of Urtica chamaedryoides showing the part that causes the pain

Cucumber Violet Soup with Sumac

I know, I know. Violets can be slimy. Use it to your advantage and make this light but unctuous chilled soup! Skip the roux, violets will thicken this soup while enhancing the green color of the cucumber. Here's the recipe:


Cucumber Violet Soup with Sumac

2 Cucumbers, peeled and seeded (use these part for something else)
2 cups plain unsweetened yogurt (I used Forager Cashewgurt to keep it vegan)
1/2 cup violet leaves, tightly packed (or about 1/2 ounce)
Wild onions, cleaned and roughly chopped plus more for garnish
1/2 Teaspoon white sugar or other sweetener of choice
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon sumac
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Using a high speed blender process the cucumber, yogurt, violets, onions, sugar, and salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Chill for a few hours to let the flavors marry. When ready to serve, combine the sumac with the oil and drizzle on top. Garnish with any of the following: violet leaves or flowers, onion flowers, henbit, chickweed, radish or sunflower sprouts. Makes 3-4 servings.

Notes:
If sumac is unavailable fresh lemon or lime juice can be substituted.
I use a variety of wild alliums (whatever I have on hand) but a large garlic clove can be substituted it wild onions/garlic are unavailable.

Violet leaves and sumac (collected last fall)

One of many wild alliums, the hollow stems of Onion Grass can be snipped just like chives

Close up of Drummond's Onion (Allium drummondii). These beautiful pink flowers are mild and make the perfect garnish.