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Buttered Ground Elder

Buttered Ground Elder is a traditional Swedish recipe for a classic accompaniment of wild ground elder that's simmered gently in butter until tender. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Swedish version of: Buttered Ground Elder.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

15 minutes

Total Time:

35 minutes

Serves:

4

Rating:

Tags : Wild FoodVegetarian RecipesSweden Recipes

Ground elder is a very common woodland plant, but not one that many people think is edible. It often grows on roadsides and in gardens and woody glades as a weed. It was introduced into Britain by the Romans as a vegetable. During the Middle Ages it was commonly grown as a vegetable and a potherb. It remains a common potherb in Scandinavia and is used extensively as a vegetable in Russia and Lithuania. As a wild vegetable it's generally at it's best in Spring (before it becomes too bitter and before it flowers and develops laxative properties), but as a potherb you can prevent it from flowering and keep fresh leaves growing throughout the summer months. This recipe was provided by a Swedish friend on a recent visit.

Ingredients:

400g Ground elder leaves and young stems
30g butter
salt and black pepper, to taste
60g butter

Method:

Take the young, green, ground elder shoots and add to a pan with the 30g butter and very little water. Season and cook gently for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously, or until the leaves have just wilted. When tender drain, toss with the remaining butter and serve immediately.