spaghetti with foraged sow thistle

The Bay Area has been lucky this year with the rainy season. We’ve been getting plenty of water, so we’re all set for a beautiful spring. It’s fun to travel to the countryside right now to see the mountains completely green. When I first moved to San Francisco I wasn’t too sure about the so-called “golden” hills. They looked brown and withered to me. Back East is different: very green; Brazil, even more. I used to associate dry land with something sterile or lifeless.

It took me few months to see the beauty and harmony of the Northern California ecosystem with its vibrant flora and fauna. Even in the midst of the City, just at the park nearby my house, I keep seeing families of raccoons, skunks, and multiple types of birds. Another thing that grows plentifully nearby in springtime is sow thistle. It likes the rain. For whatever reason these are not available for sale at markets. If you want to eat this seasonal delight, you need to hunt for them yourself.

Foraging has been trendy lately. I like the idea. We went to a restaurant a couple weeks ago where the menu proudly proclaims that part of the food was gathered locally. In January, at the SF Public Library we heard a food blogger talk about his experiences as a Bay Area forager. His thing is much more large-scale. I’m a small-time forager with huge tastebuds.

On our way back from the Pacific Orchid Exposition, I harvested a bunch of sow thistle at the park nearby. This isn’t the first time.

Flavor-wise sow thistle resembles rustic green leafy vegetables such as escarole, chicory or frise. Like those, it matches well with olive oil, garlic and parmesan.

foraged sow thistle

spaghetti with foraged sow thistle

1lb packaged spaghetti
1 full bowl freshly foraged sow thistle, rinsed in passed through a salad spinner
5 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper
Top notch grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Crushed red pepper to taste

Boil a large pot with plenty of water. Cook spaghetti al dente following package instructions. Drain, set it aside and keep warm.

Add half of the olive oil to a large pan. Bring temperature to high, add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Don’t burn it. Add thistle, salt and peppers and sauté until fully wilted and volume reduced by half. Toss in the pasta. Drizzle remaining olive oil over everything followed by a good amount of grated cheese. You’ll love it.

emerald green hills in the California spring