In the Garden - Salad Burnet

Happily growing in the kitchen garden right now is Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor). This unique plant with its compound leaflets that form a rosette crown mimics the taste of cucumber in the garden. Known as the 'dyspeptic's cucumber', it has all the flavor and none of the effects. The crisp leaves are undaunted by weather, and even in the dead of winter, you can harvest this evergreen herb.

Many culinary uses for this perennial herb abound. You can harvest the leaves for salad, dips, or herb butters. It's also flavorful in vinegars. Simply remove the leaves from the stem and toss into a cucumber for a fresh summertime flavor. In the language of flowers, it is referred to as 'the merry herb', it 'doth comfort and rejoice the hart'.

We served these cucumber sandwiches recently in the tea room.

                                                    Burnet Finger Sandwiches

8 ozs. cream cheese

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise

1/3 c. chives or spring onion tops

1/2 c. burnet leaves, snipped fine

1 Tbsp. finely minced onion

pepper to taste

Soften the cream cheese with the mayonnaise. Add the herbs and seasonings. Mix thoroughly. Spread on round slices of bread. Top with a thinly slice cucumber, a dollop of the cream cheese mix and garnish with a fresh burnet leaf.