Horta
FIND IT ON THE MENU AS Χόρτα, Horta
When faced with a Greek menu … it’s tempting to head for the names you recognise - such as Gyro, Greek Salad, Souvlaki or Moussaka. Nothing wrong with that, and you’ll always end up with a delicious dish.
But if you are feeling adventurous then you will be richly rewarded, sometimes by the most unassuming dishes.
A great favourite on Corfu, and across Greece in fact is Horta. It’s popular, not just because essentially it’s ‘Free Food’ but also because it’s actually quite good for you. It’s loaded with vitamins A, K and C, high in fibre and very low in calories. What’s not to love.
Drive around the island and you’ll inevitably see people parked in lay-bys, or roaming remote fields in search of the ingredients which essentially are - anything green you can eat. They may be herbs, they may be weeds, but if it’s edible then it’s fair game.
There are apparently around 300 different wild edible plants in Greece, and you’ll see a vast variety of them in supermarkets and local shops, though most look like lumps of greenery that are ready for composting. Which on reflection is a terrible waste, especially in these days of belt-tightening.
Two rules … once you have steamed them, and lumped them onto the dish … and added some tasty Olive Oil: Some taste better with lemon, and some are much better with vinegar. The sweet ones are best with the lemon, leaving the bitter ones longing for the vinegar. Best to have both sitting on the table and trying as you go.
Oh … another rule - Wash them well. (Cats) And then steam them lightly.
So … what is Horta, mainly?
Amaranth, Arugula - Rocket lettuce, Dock which we used to rub on our legs to sooth stingy nettle attacks.
Black Bryony - a sort of thin stalked asparagus; Borage, Bur Chervil, Chicory, Dandelion, Cress, Golden Thistle, Nettles, Purslane, Sow Thistle, Wild Fennel, Yellow Salsify,
To that list add Wild Garlic, Ox-Eye-Daisy, Pennywort, Chickweed. There’s one called ‘Jack by the Hedge’ too, which is a rival to the Wild Garlic.
Needless to say - it’s important to know what you are cooking.
If in doubt - leave it out.