emmac
Junior Member
Posts: 60
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dock
Sept 4, 2014 14:13:22 GMT
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Post by emmac on Sept 4, 2014 14:13:22 GMT
so much of it about. never used it. Any ideas?
for spring obvs
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dock
Sept 4, 2014 16:31:00 GMT
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Post by foragingmouse on Sept 4, 2014 16:31:00 GMT
Not a good one the taste is very bitter even in spring
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cab
Junior Member
Posts: 80
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dock
Sept 5, 2014 15:11:28 GMT
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Post by cab on Sept 5, 2014 15:11:28 GMT
Minging. Don't eat it.
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dock
Sept 7, 2014 21:10:17 GMT
Post by herbwise on Sept 7, 2014 21:10:17 GMT
Which dock are you speaking of? We have several diff. species where I am... Do you have a Latin name handy
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dock
Sept 7, 2014 22:00:14 GMT
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Post by foragingmouse on Sept 7, 2014 22:00:14 GMT
The closest we have to edible dock in the uk is Rumex crispus that is what we call dock anyway and this is not a good edible it requires multiple boils to remove oxalic acid and remains very bitter
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dock
Sept 7, 2014 22:43:19 GMT
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Post by herbwise on Sept 7, 2014 22:43:19 GMT
Ah okay. Well, its roots are high in iron and are used to build blood, makes a tasty syrup or candy when coupled with black strap or sorghum molasses. Plus, unlike iron supplements Rumex crispus roots do not bind you up, in large doses it is mildly laxative so win win yeah. I take and give my daughter Yellow Dock/Curly Dock root blackstrap molasses candy to supplement her iron, she loves it
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dock
Sept 8, 2014 9:29:55 GMT
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Post by foragingmouse on Sept 8, 2014 9:29:55 GMT
Could you post a recipie please , what's blackstrap ?
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dock
Sept 8, 2014 14:08:12 GMT
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Post by herbwise on Sept 8, 2014 14:08:12 GMT
So molasses is used cause 1) it's tasty and 2) it's naturally high in iron and calcium. Blackstrap is just molasses that is further reduced as I understand it, and it has higher iron and calcium levels than traditional molasses. It will say on the jar if it is blackstrap or not. It's a result of making sugar, they extract pure sugar from the cane pressings, the rest is boiled down to molasses. Brown sugar is sugar that has some molasses in it. Sorghum molasses is from pressed sorghum canes, boiled straight down into molasses. It's got a bit of a tangier flavor that sugarcane molasses.
Ok I looked but can't find my exact recipe but this should work just fine. All you have to remember is to have a shelf stable syrup it should be 66% sugar (2/3 sugar, 1/3 liquid). I always keep my syrups in the fridge for good measure. If you are making a candy, a candy thermometer will tell you when it's ready by the temperature. It will only reach higher temps as more water evaporates.
Yellow Dock Root Molasses Syrup or Candy
This recipe is perhaps easier done doubled but if you are making candy but you will have to have 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment, oiled ready to go as it's a lot of very hot sugary goop in the end. If you plan to just do syrup I'd nix the sugar and substitute that with the same volume in molasses.
In a small pot, put
1/4 cup Yellow Dock/Curly Dock (Rumex crispus) roots, cut and dried 2 cups water
Cover and bring to boil, then simmer on low for 20 min (house will smell like iron), remove lid and decoct until about half original volume remains. Strain and press. Measure remaining liquid. It should be about 1 cup. Compost spent root. Add decoction back to the pot. If making candy, add to a much larger pot as it will boil higher the hotter it gets. Add:
1 1/2 c. molasses, preferably blackstrap and (2 c. molasses if just doing syrup) 1/2 c. refined sugar (Omit sugar if doing syrup. This gives the candy a smoother texture with better fracturing, all the minerals from the dock root and molasses can make the candy incredibly sticky if you try to chew it...as in pull-out-a-filling sticky) If making candy, put in candy thermometer and a splash of a neutral tasting high heat oil such as grape seed oil. You could also put a pat of butter in. This helps keep it from boiling up all crazy like.
Bring to boil, lower heat to medium. If doing syrup, reduce by 1/3 back down to 2 cups total volume. If making candy use your candy thermometer. Have a sheet pan lined with parchment that you've brushed with oil ready. Will seem forever to get to temp but once it starts heating up it goes fast. Stir with a high heat proof spatula every now and again to scrape the bottom of the pan, all the minerals will tend to want to burn. If you smell a little burning don't freak it's okay. You shouldn't taste that when its done. That's happened every time I've made it but no burned taste actually exists in the end. Once the thermometer shows the mix is at the "Hard Crack Stage" (~302 F...what's that in Celsius?) pour onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Do not spill it on your skin it will burn and continue to burn as sugar holds heat and will stick to you and lord the agony. Let it spread out over the pan. Sides will cool faster than the center. As it cools run a pizza cutter through it to make deep scores for the candy size. You may have to re-run through the lines multiple times as they might melt away at first. After the whole bloody thing cools, break it apart along the scored lines. Toss in powdered sugar to help prevent them from sticking together. Keep in an airtight container.
Handy for in the field: Dock leaves from Yellow Dock or Burdock can be used to relieve Nettles stings. Just pick a leaf, chew it or smash it between your hands until the juice starts to come out, then rub it on the sting. In a few minutes the pain will be gone.
Another fun thing: Yellow Dock seeds are high in B vitamins, they make good crackers when mixed equal parts with corn meal and just enough wheat flour to make it all hold together with the gluten, with salt and fresh pressed garlic added to taste. I haven't figured out how to separate the seed from the hull so I just blend it all up together in a blender. Seeds are very hard don't crush easily so not for ppl with diverticulitis to consume (they can't eat tiny seeds). I guess if you mortar and pestled the hell outta it they might bust up. The hull is nutritive and gives good color to the cracker. It's been awhile since I made them but my recipe was thus:
1 cup Yellow Dock seed flour 1 cup corn meal fine ground (best to get corn meal treated with alkaline to make corn digestible, such as Maseca) 1/4 c. all purpose flour 1 tsp salt? 2 cloves fresh pressed garlic Water--just enough to just bring it all together, not too wet, not too dry. Will vary according to the day and its humidity
Mix all ingredients together. Roll it out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. With a pizza cutter, cut lines in the dough in the shape of chips you would like. Brush with olive oil. Cook in a low oven (325 F...again whatever that translates to) till dry and crispy. Let cool then break apart along the scored lines.
A small portion of rye flour would probably taste good in the mix if you wanted to experiment. If I did that, I'd also throw in some caraway seeds. I've tried this recipe with 1 c. dock seed flour and 1 cup all purpose flour and they were entirely too tough. Not at all cracker like. Switched to the corn flour and then just enough all purpose flour to capitalize on the holding power of the gluten in the wheat and it worked great. Nice texture. Hence the above recipe was born. Garlic is a must because it really needs some sort of additional flavor.
Never knew dock leaves needed multiple boils. I knew about the oxalic acid though...dock is related to sorrel right?
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Post by foragingmouse on Sept 8, 2014 18:17:38 GMT
Wow thank you what a great post so much info :-) and yes both docks and sorrel are Polygonaceae not wood sorrel though completely different
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