Blessed thistle salad Calories

You usually blanch or boil the cleaned herb until tender, drain it well, then dress it with olive oil and lemon. Some versions add garlic yogurt, but the exact dressing varies by cook and region.

No. Blessed thistle salad uses şevketi bostan, a Turkish edible wild plant; blessed thistle tea is generally made from a different herb. The similar English names can be confusing, so look for the Turkish name when identifying the salad ingredient.

Trim away tough or prickly parts, then rinse the herb thoroughly several times to remove soil caught between the leaves. Gloves can make handling easier, especially when the greens have sharp edges.

Blessed thistle salad tastes green and pleasantly earthy, sometimes with a slight bitterness. Boiling and draining the herb can mellow its sharper notes, while lemon and olive oil give the finished salad a brighter, rounder flavor.

It is usually served cooked rather than raw. The herb can be fibrous and prickly, so cleaning it carefully and boiling it until tender is the usual approach for a salad that is pleasant to eat.

Look for şevketi bostan at Turkish or Mediterranean grocers and, where available, farmers’ markets selling regional wild greens. It may be sold under its Turkish name, so asking for şevketi bostan is often more useful than asking for blessed thistle.

Yes, frozen şevketi bostan works for Blessed thistle salad. Thaw it, drain away excess water, and heat it until tender before dressing; it may soften faster than fresh greens, so avoid overcooking it.

Blessed thistle salad pairs well with grilled fish or meat and other Mediterranean dishes. It can also be served with bread and yogurt as part of a lighter meal; add lemon just before serving for a fresher taste.

Keep Blessed thistle salad covered in the refrigerator and eat it within about two days. The cooked greens may release water as they sit, so drain off any excess and refresh the lemon dressing before serving.