Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Alpine Dock along with all the Alpine Dock containing recipes presented on this site, with 4 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Alpine Dock as a major wild food ingredient.

Alpine Dock, Rumex alpinus (also known as Alpine Rhubarb, Monk's Rhubarb, Mountain Rhubarb, Poor Man's Rhubarb, Wild Rhubarb and Rhubarb des Alpes) a perennial herb and a member of the Polygonaceae (knotweed) family. It native range extends from Central and Southern Europe to Western Asia, but it has been naturalized in Britain (but is most common in Scotland) and North Americas. It is most common in the Alps, near streams (hence the common name), and is typically located along the banks of streams, by the sides of roads and is often found on disturbed ground near human habitation. The plant is perennial and can grow to about 1.2m in height and 30cm in diameter. It is very hardy with large leaves an bears tall flower spikes in July. The flowers are hermaphrodite and wind pollinated and the seeds ripen from July to August. It requires moist to grow but can tolerate full sun or semi-shade and can grow in most soil conditions; though it prefers soils rich in nitrogen. The leaves are edible, but like other members of the family they contain a significant amount of oxalic acid. Though they can be used raw in salads between autumn and late spring (use sparingly) they are best cooked like spinach as this will leach out the oxalic acid. However, the leaves often become bitter in summer. For the wild forager this plant can provide leafy greens in all but the most severe of winters. In spring the plant is characterized by small coppery leaves that emerge from the snow. These develop into heart-shaped leaves with a wavy margin that are borne on petioles (leaf stems) with a reddish tinge.

However, it is the leaf petioles (leaf stems) that are typically most useful. Stripped of their leaves the petioles can be used as a direct substitute for rhubarb (hence the common names of Monk's Rhubarb and Poor Man's Rhubarb) though it is generally sweeter and less tart than rhubarb. If collecting the petioles then select the largest and reddest stems. In the past, in the Swiss Alps, most especially, the leaves were shredded, boiled and then fermented for use as a sauerkraut substitute.

In addition to the leaf stems, the leaves themselves can also be cooked as a spinach substitute. Note that they do tend to become bitter in Summer, so it's best to use the leaves from late autumn through to spring. During this time, the leaves can be used, chopped, as an addition to salads. The leaves can also be dried for later use.

References:

[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants