Exhorting Horta

Photo © Rob Jones

Out for a slap-up lunch in old Roda town on Corfu, and working my way through the menu.

Batting away the host who, given that we were the only ones in the pre-season taverna, was ever so slightly overly-attentive in that Greek ‘Hello my friend, I have always loved you, you are my favourites’ sort of way.

Seeing the usual suspects - the Gyros, the Souvlakis, Moussaka, Greek Salad (which surely should just be called ‘Salad’ in Greece,) and my eye alighting on a side, nestling alonside the chips and olives, which I didn’t recognise.

Photo © Rob Jones

‘What’s Horta?’

‘It’s weeds,’ I am instructed.

‘Weeds?’

‘Yes, weeds. We’ll get some. They’re quite nice.’

And indeed they were.

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.

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,

There are many others, but I think that those are the ones I would recognise were I to be wandering the lanes of Wales, salivating. To that list I would add, Wild Garlic, Oxeye-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. I have a handy app which identifies what is not likely to kill you stone dead in an instant.

Anyhow, with Horta, I would say that the overall flavour/experience is of overly stewed greens, or spinach.

It’s a feel good food, when correctly served and treated, especially in the knowledge that it’s essentially ‘Something for Nothing.’

R