Please explain Poke Sallet

[crazychickx]

We need to know!
Obviously, we have never had poke sallet!
Yesterday's paper said someone was collecting poke sallet, and was easily able to fill a large bag and couldn't wait to can it.
We have heard from the neighbors:
*"Ooooo, you have to try poke sallet!"
*"You only want to pick the leaves early in the spring."
*"No---that is poison!"
*"You only have to stay away from the berries."
I know all of you will be able to help clear up the mystery of poke sallet!
Thanks!

 

[Phox01]

I think they mean poke salad. Poke is a weed that has early edible leaves , the rest of the plant is not edible.

 

[DTchickens]

Yeah, also called "Polk" salad.. I've always heard it was all poisonous, early or not so i tried to steer clear of it.. Heard the only way it's not poisonous is to boil it, drain water, i believe boil again.. And maybe AGAIN.. Im not sure, there's probably a lot more but anything that is even potentionally dangerous i just stay away from.. Far away.

 

[crazychickx]

Phox01--so early edible leaves means pick the leaves early in spring when the plant is young, then don't pick again until next year?

 

[Phox01]

That is what I have been told ,I have never had it myself and do not know how to prepare it .

 

[Marlinchaser]

I think its Polk Salad theres a song about it by Tony Joe White. Polk Salad Annie. Elvis made it famous.

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
I have heard this also, it has to be cooked a certain way to get the ppoison out, bit I hear it is real good. I plan to never try it. Every plant I see that comes up gets pulled up and thrown away. As far as i'm concerned, poison is poison and I have no intention on eating it or feeding it to my family.

 

[Rosalind]

You can eat the young leaves just sauteed, without boiling, but later in the season (like now) you have to blanch it in two changes of water before eating. Even so, I think the worst that would happen would be a bit of tummyache as long as you stay away from the berries.

We have some in our yard. I tried it a few times, traditionally sauteed with chopped onion and bacon but honestly, I did not think it was so great--obviously everything is better cooked with bacon! It's the sort of thing that you really like if you grew up eating, I think. I prefer dandelion greens myself.

 

[chickabator]

we eat polk every year and where we live in early June we have a polk salad festival. It is very good. You pick the early leaves boil them for 20 min. drain then boil them again drain squeeze all the water out of it after it cools a little bit . scramble you some eggs add too the polk . that is how most people here eat it, but then I take a cup of corn meal 1/2 cup of flour, and cut up an onion mix together like you would a salmon patty form into patties and fry them. oooooh man they are great oh don't forget to salt if you prefer.

 

[mschickychick]

Here's what I know about what we pronounce "poke" salad. (No sure how it's spelled.) It can not be cultivated, will only grow in the wild. My Grandmother said you had to have at least one helping of it in the spring for your health. You pick only the new growth (leaves) and have to boil it with fresh water 3 times. I always thought it was to get the bitter strong taste out. I have never heard of anyone getting sick on it here. I have heard the berries are poisonous. I know they stain like crazy.

Hope this helps.