Free Food a Pigs Thistle. Eating Sow Thistle, puha or Sonchus Oleraceous.

A weed that is widely distributed, is a powerhouse of antioxidants and is a good source of iron, is the sow thistle, Sonchus oleraceous. I have seen is for sale in New Zealand but otherwise it is usually one of those plants which is available to collect freely.

In one of life’s many oddities, a perfectly edible plant is listed as a weed. Great tomes have been written on how to eradicate it during the growing of more popular crops.

The culinary history of sow thistle is old.  It is recorded by Pliny that before the encounter of Theseus with the bull of Marathon, he was regaled by Hecale upon a dish of Sow Thistles. Theseus was the mythical founder and King of Athens in ancient Greece.   It is eaten in Europe as a component of salads, cooked with spaghetti in Italy, and is part of a nutritious and heart warming stew in New Zealand. The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, show perfectly the ability to think outside the square when it comes to food and make the most of frugality. Both pork and sow thistle were introduced during the European invasion of the country. Maori took the pork bones, traditionally a waste product for the English and sow thistle or puha to make puha and pork bones, a rib tickling comfort stew.

The jagged edged leaf really is quite distinctive. This is a sow thistle, a baby growing amongst Nasturtiums.

A baby growing amongst chickweed and grass on a path. The leaf in this case has a purplish tinge.

Just on identification, Sow Thistle is an annual and has a tap root. You want the one without prickles on the leaves although the prickly species is edible also. A look a like to sow thistle is a perennial and has an extensive root system. Forget that one. If collecting sow thistle from public places always ensure the plants have not been sprayed with insecticide and always wash thoroughly if collecting from road sides.

Use the youngest plants, up to a foot high in salads or cook briefly like spinach. The flowers can be added too. If you can find enough you could try this;

Sow Thistle Salad :  a large bunch of thistle leaves, a quarter of a cup of ground sesame seeds and two tablespoons of shoyu soy sauce or light soy.  Cut the thistle into 2 - 3cm lengths and blanch briefly in boiling water. Drain immediately and then leave for a couple of minutes for any excess water to run off - do not squeeze. Mix it all in a bowl. Maybe throw the flowers on top for artistic and nutritious effect.

Pork Bones and Puha:  A kilo of pork bones or if you can’t find these, a chunk of pork shoulder. Simmer in water for 1.5 hours then add chunks of potato and sweet potato. Simmer for a further 20 minutes or until almost done to your liking then add as much young puha as you have. Cook for a further 5 minutes.  Season to taste. If you have older puha, obviously wash and then give it a light bashing with can, rolling pin whatever. This can be added at the beginning to the boiling water but you will remove it either prior to serving or before adding the spuds and things. Whatever is easiest. Serve in soup bowls with  slabs of bread.

Sow thistle is related to the dandelion. Like the dandelion sow thistle is a mild diueretic. Like the dandelion the roots can be consumed either to eat or to roast and make as coffee from.

And if you don’t want to eat sow thistle, throw it to your chooks, they love it! Rabbits too appreciate the plant so much it is called Hare thistle in some places.