Stroll in the discovery of the wild plants of the Marais poitevin

Meeting with Christelle Bourneau, organizer of the heritage, who organizes since one year “maraîchines” strolls around the plants of the Marais poitevin. The next “maraîchine” stroll takes place on June 28th to Arçais at 1:45 pm then all summer long (Sundays and Wednesdays). The departure is made at the parking lot of the campsite (price list : 5€ for the adults, free for the children).

In the discovery of the wild plants of the Marais poitevin

Plants are for Christelle a passion. She uses them for her personal consumption "as a supplement to the vegetables of the garden": believed in salads, cooked in soups, dried in infusions… "They have their place in our kitchen". The idea of this stroll is not to know all the plants but only those useful for our everyday life and what we sometimes consider as "weed".

During this stroll of five kilometers, you can discover the beneficial properties of the leaves of Ash trees which decrease the pains bound to the joints, of the stinging nettle which cleanses the body and is considered as the richest plant in the vegetable kingdom. The plants which you go to discover are within reach of hands, free and can look after you at the same time and feed you ! This stroll will maybe tempt you to accentuate the subject then I advise you a little of reading…

A little of reading to cook the wild plants

First of all, you can opt for the book " Recipes of pickings" publishing (Offered for the purchase of 2 books "Peasant Recipes” in the shop of the Tourist office). This book will teach you "to cook at the edge of ways", or the art to take up with the nature.

Then, the book "I cook the wild plants" from niortais Amandine Geers and Olivier Degorce (on sale to the bookshop of Les Halles in Niort). You will learn to cook 24 different wild plants. And nothing that the title of dishes makes the mouth water us : omelet in the violet, the pâté of stinging nettles in the buckwheat, the gazpacho of cucumber in the ground ivy... Go, we try a recipe !

Recipe with stinging nettle

I propose you a small simple recipe and of season with stinging nettle : the tartinade of stinging nettle. (Source : www.lavisdesplantes.fr).

You need of :

• 100 gr of stinging nettles,
• 30 gr of mustard,
• 20 cl of cream of soya,
• 50 gr of rappé Swiss cheese,
• some salt,
• beautiful slices of bread.

Stages for the realization of the recipe :

• 1. Make clear stinging nettles sliced thinly in a little olive oil.
• 2. Add salt, mustard, cream and Swiss cheese.
• 3. Spread slices of bread and put in the oven to burn out them.

You do not have more than to have a rough time between friends !