One of the first native plants eaten by Captain Cook’s crew to ward off scurvy, warrigal greens can be found along Australia’s coastline where it grows best in saline soil. An incredibly versatile, easy-to-grow vegetable, warrigal greens have a fresh, grassy flavour with a slightly bitter finish.
How do I use them?
Larger leaves should typically be blanched or steamed before eating, but smaller young leaves are great eaten raw. It can be substituted in any recipe that uses spinach, chard or Asian greens – the sturdy, fleshy leaves handle heat well, making warrigal greens ideal for stir-fries.
Chef Jock Zonfrillo uses the leafy vegetable at on his Bistro Blackwood menu. “It’s great cooked or used raw in pesto or salads,” he recommends. Or, try his recipe for XO squid and warrigal greens below.
Where can I find it?
It’s easy to grow at home, or it can be foraged from coastal areas, where permitted. Find warrigal greens at farmer’s markets, specialist greengrocers, or locate your nearest retail stockist online at outbackpridefresh.com.au.
XO squid with warrigal greens
XO squid with warrigal greens
15 mins preparation | 5 mis cooking (plus resting) | Serves 4
Recipe by Jock Zonfrillo.
Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat a barbecue to high. Grill squid, turning once, until lightly charred (1½ minutes each side; the centre should still be raw). Brush with half the XO sauce and set aside to marinate (5 minutes).
2.Shake oil and lemon juice in a sealed screw-top jar to combine well.
3.Brush squid with remaining XO sauce and grill until cooked through (1½ minutes each side). Coarsely chop squid and combine with remaining ingredients – except crackers – and dressing in a large bowl, and toss to coat and combine. Serve with cassava crackers.
XO sauce is available in supermarkets and Asian grocers, as are cassava crackers; follow packet instructions for frying.
Ben Dearnley
