Ken
03-26-2009, 06:30 PM
I've eaten cat-tails several times, but only two ways. The first was just the spike core eaten raw. The other way was to grind the blossom (top and bottom) into a flour, mix with boiling seawater, and "bake" it into a matzo-like cracker on a hot flat rock.
Cat-tails grow everywhere here, and are plentiful in marshes near the ocean. Here are a few recipes I plan on trying this year.
The following is from: http://www.breakthematrix.com/content/Cat-Tail-information
Cattails bloom in June typically. The "male blossom" is the skinny "stick" that comes up above the thick brown "female" blossom." (the female blossom is the part that looks like a cat's tail). The male blossom produces bright yellow pollen. The pollen is what you are after. It is corn-flavored and can be easily gathered. The gathering process actually helps to pollinate the plant
ensuring a crop for next year!
To gather, wade through cattail marshes with a deep bowl or bucket.( Now mind you this is not for the faint in heart the Ama ( water) Inadv (snake) usually hide among them but some swishing with sticks and branches usually take care of them. Gently bend the bloom over the bowl or bucket and "dust" the yellow pollen into the container. It's best to do this on a still dry afternoon. Gather as much fresh pollen as you can immediately use or store (store in a cool, dry, dark place).
Cattail pollen flour is a "flour-extender" and should be added to biscuit,
bread, or cake batters. Measure the amount you are adding and reduce the
amount of regular flour by the same amount from whatever recipe you are using.
More on Cat Tails and some recipes from my Great Elisi ( Grandmother)
Cattails, those strap-leafed plants with hot-dog-shaped fruits, grow over
most of the United States except Alaska. When the azaleas are blooming, the
emerging leaf spikes of the cattail are tender and sweet. They can be eaten
raw in a salad, or cooked. In late spring the green flower spikes appear on
stems much more slender than the leaf stems. The spikes are as delicious as
corn on the cob and taste like it. The pollen from the male flower appears
several days later about one inch above the female flower. It is rich in
protein and is savory in breads, pancakes, and soups.
The roots of the cattail, called rhizomes, are ropelike structures that grow
laterally. They are delicious. Get into your old sneakers and wade into a
cattail march ( again be careful). Run your hand down the leaves to the rhizomes, move along one, and pull. Wash the root, slice, and bake in the oven or boil in a pot. You cannot starve with cattails around you. An acre of cattails produce ten times as much food as an acre of potatoes.
CATTAIL LEAF SPIKES
Scrub spikes and peel to uncover the crisp whitish-green core, usually 1
foot to 18 inches long. Slice core raw into salads or boil in salt water
about 15 minutes and serve as a vegetable with butter and salt.
INDIAN CATTAIL SPOON BREAD
(Traditionally served with a spoon.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1/2 C. butter
2 C. fresh flower buds or cattails on the cob
1/2 C. diced onions
1/2 C. diced green pepper
salt
1 C. sharp cheese
pinch of chili powder
Melt butter in skillet and add cattail buds, onions, green pepper, and salt.
Saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour into greased baking dish.
Sprinkle with cheese and chili powder. Bake until cheese melts. Spoon onto
plate while hot.
CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS PANCAKES
(Shake bright-yellow pollen into a plastic bag while out in the marsh. A
dozen flower stalk will yield about a cup.)
1 C. cattail pollen
1 C. white flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C. milk
3 T. vegetable oil
Mix cattail pollen, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in egg, milk, and
oil. Set aside until batter thickens, about 10 minutes. Pour daubs onto
buttered skillet and fry until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup or wild
jam.
Cat-tails grow everywhere here, and are plentiful in marshes near the ocean. Here are a few recipes I plan on trying this year.
The following is from: http://www.breakthematrix.com/content/Cat-Tail-information
Cattails bloom in June typically. The "male blossom" is the skinny "stick" that comes up above the thick brown "female" blossom." (the female blossom is the part that looks like a cat's tail). The male blossom produces bright yellow pollen. The pollen is what you are after. It is corn-flavored and can be easily gathered. The gathering process actually helps to pollinate the plant
ensuring a crop for next year!
To gather, wade through cattail marshes with a deep bowl or bucket.( Now mind you this is not for the faint in heart the Ama ( water) Inadv (snake) usually hide among them but some swishing with sticks and branches usually take care of them. Gently bend the bloom over the bowl or bucket and "dust" the yellow pollen into the container. It's best to do this on a still dry afternoon. Gather as much fresh pollen as you can immediately use or store (store in a cool, dry, dark place).
Cattail pollen flour is a "flour-extender" and should be added to biscuit,
bread, or cake batters. Measure the amount you are adding and reduce the
amount of regular flour by the same amount from whatever recipe you are using.
More on Cat Tails and some recipes from my Great Elisi ( Grandmother)
Cattails, those strap-leafed plants with hot-dog-shaped fruits, grow over
most of the United States except Alaska. When the azaleas are blooming, the
emerging leaf spikes of the cattail are tender and sweet. They can be eaten
raw in a salad, or cooked. In late spring the green flower spikes appear on
stems much more slender than the leaf stems. The spikes are as delicious as
corn on the cob and taste like it. The pollen from the male flower appears
several days later about one inch above the female flower. It is rich in
protein and is savory in breads, pancakes, and soups.
The roots of the cattail, called rhizomes, are ropelike structures that grow
laterally. They are delicious. Get into your old sneakers and wade into a
cattail march ( again be careful). Run your hand down the leaves to the rhizomes, move along one, and pull. Wash the root, slice, and bake in the oven or boil in a pot. You cannot starve with cattails around you. An acre of cattails produce ten times as much food as an acre of potatoes.
CATTAIL LEAF SPIKES
Scrub spikes and peel to uncover the crisp whitish-green core, usually 1
foot to 18 inches long. Slice core raw into salads or boil in salt water
about 15 minutes and serve as a vegetable with butter and salt.
INDIAN CATTAIL SPOON BREAD
(Traditionally served with a spoon.)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1/2 C. butter
2 C. fresh flower buds or cattails on the cob
1/2 C. diced onions
1/2 C. diced green pepper
salt
1 C. sharp cheese
pinch of chili powder
Melt butter in skillet and add cattail buds, onions, green pepper, and salt.
Saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Pour into greased baking dish.
Sprinkle with cheese and chili powder. Bake until cheese melts. Spoon onto
plate while hot.
CAT-O'-NINE-TAILS PANCAKES
(Shake bright-yellow pollen into a plastic bag while out in the marsh. A
dozen flower stalk will yield about a cup.)
1 C. cattail pollen
1 C. white flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C. milk
3 T. vegetable oil
Mix cattail pollen, flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in egg, milk, and
oil. Set aside until batter thickens, about 10 minutes. Pour daubs onto
buttered skillet and fry until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup or wild
jam.