Guest guest Posted September 2, 2007 Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Hello, I was looking for some culinary uses of Wild Dagga aka Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus) and happened upon a pesto recipe using it. I haven't tried this yet but since I have several plants growing in the back yard I'll give it a try and report back. I don't plan to serve it with the meat dish also in the pdf file (URL noted below) but probably in some pasta or salad. It actually talks about using carpaccio with which I was not familiar. Turns out that is thinly sliced raw meat. I will definitely not be including that. I modified the " TO SERVE " advice below and left out the meat. It seems that this may be served at several South African hotels/restaurants because that is where wild dagga grows (not in the restaurants and hotels themselves but rather in South Africa although admittedly the could have an herb garden in the back). Having never been to South Africa I have no idea how common this is though. Hm, this combination might be interesting, " Bittersweet Chocolate Tart With wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus) and a flaky pastry " Yum. Gary I believe the recipe is from Roberto de Carvalho, Azure Restaurant, Twelve Apostles Hotel & Spa. Here is the URL for the complete article including the original recipe: http://wosa.co.za/download/Cape%20Kontrei%20Cuisine.pdf ==================================================== WILD DAGGA PESTO Makes about 1-1/2 (1.5) cups of pesto 2 cups packed fresh wild dagga leaves, washed well 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves, washed well 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden, cooled, and chopped fine 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup Paarl grapeseed oil salt and pepper to taste 1. Have a bowl of iced water ready. 2. In a saucepan of boiling salted water blanch, the wild dagga leaves for three seconds then transfer using a slotted spoon into the bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process. 3. Drain the leaves in a sieve and pat dry. 4. In a food processor, puree the wild dagga leaves, cilantro leaves with the remaining ingredients until smooth. 5. Season with salt and pepper. Pesto may be made three days ahead and chilled, with its surface covered with clingfilm. TO SERVE Toss the red baby spinach leaves in the dagga pesto and place on a slow-roasted tomato on a slice of olive bread. Repeat this process for all the olive bread discs. Drizzle each canapé with the grapeseed oil, garnish with sprouts and serve immediately. Chef's note: The wild dagga tends to make the pesto a little bitter so I add in some cilantro for body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 This sounds very interesting. Do you have a link to wild dagga plants and what they look like. I can honestly say I have never heard of them before. ~ PT ~ How else but in custom and ceremony are innocence and beauty born? ~ W. B. Yeats, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~> , Gary Mattingly <gsmattingly wrote: > > Hello, > > I was looking for some culinary uses of Wild > Dagga aka Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus) and > happened upon a pesto recipe using it. > WILD DAGGA PESTO > Makes about 1-1/2 (1.5) cups of pesto > > 2 cups packed fresh wild dagga leaves, washed well > 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves, washed well > 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden, cooled, > and chopped fine > 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese > 3 large garlic cloves, minced > 1/2 cup Paarl grapeseed oil > salt and pepper to taste > > 1. Have a bowl of iced water ready. > 2. In a saucepan of boiling salted water blanch, > the wild dagga leaves for three seconds then > transfer using a slotted spoon into the bowl > of iced water to stop the cooking process. > 3. Drain the leaves in a sieve and pat dry. > 4. In a food processor, puree the wild dagga > leaves, cilantro leaves with the remaining > ingredients until smooth. > 5. Season with salt and pepper. > > Pesto may be made three days ahead and > chilled, with its surface covered with clingfilm. > > TO SERVE > > Toss the red baby spinach leaves in the dagga pesto > and place on a slow-roasted tomato on a slice of olive > bread. Repeat this process for all the olive bread discs. > Drizzle each canapé with the grapeseed oil, garnish > with sprouts and serve immediately. > > Chef's note: The wild dagga tends to make the pesto > a little bitter so I add in some cilantro for body. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 Hi, There are some nice pictures here: http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/leoocymifolia.htm Sort of off-topic but if you're interested in growing herbs Mountain Valley just started their fall extravaganza with many plants for 1.99 but you must have a 23.70 minimum order. http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/orderform7.htm I'm not in any way affiliated with them but I've ordered plants from them and they show up in good condition and I just got their email about it last night so it came to mind. More pictures and info: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/58073/ http://www.mazatecgarden.com/information/dagga_info.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis_leonurus Actually just google for Leonotis leonurus and click on images on top and you'll get tons of images. Very nice orange flowers. In my garden they grow about four feet tall or so. I have two plants. Gary gsmattingly San Francisco Bay Tri-Valley Area USDA Zone - 9b Sunset zone - 14 ~ PT ~ <patchouli_troll Monday, September 3, 2007 7:12:03 AM Re: Wild Dagga Pesto This sounds very interesting. Do you have a link to wild dagga plants and what they look like. I can honestly say I have never heard of them before. ~ PT ~ How else but in custom and ceremony are innocence and beauty born? ~ W. B. Yeats, 'A Prayer For My Daughter' ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~> , Gary Mattingly <gsmattingly wrote: > > Hello, > > I was looking for some culinary uses of Wild > Dagga aka Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus) and > happened upon a pesto recipe using it. > WILD DAGGA PESTO > Makes about 1-1/2 (1.5) cups of pesto > > 2 cups packed fresh wild dagga leaves, washed well > 2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves, washed well > 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden, cooled, > and chopped fine > 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese > 3 large garlic cloves, minced > 1/2 cup Paarl grapeseed oil > salt and pepper to taste > > 1. Have a bowl of iced water ready. > 2. In a saucepan of boiling salted water blanch, > the wild dagga leaves for three seconds then > transfer using a slotted spoon into the bowl > of iced water to stop the cooking process. > 3. Drain the leaves in a sieve and pat dry. > 4. In a food processor, puree the wild dagga > leaves, cilantro leaves with the remaining > ingredients until smooth. > 5. Season with salt and pepper. > > Pesto may be made three days ahead and > chilled, with its surface covered with clingfilm. > > TO SERVE > > Toss the red baby spinach leaves in the dagga pesto > and place on a slow-roasted tomato on a slice of olive > bread. Repeat this process for all the olive bread discs. > Drizzle each canapé with the grapeseed oil, garnish > with sprouts and serve immediately. > > Chef's note: The wild dagga tends to make the pesto > a little bitter so I add in some cilantro for body. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2007 Report Share Posted September 9, 2007 Thank you for the links to the pictures of wild dagga plants. Man they sure are pretty. Very exotic and impressive. That is so cool you are able to grow them in your garden. Sorry I was unable to reply sooner. This past week at work was hell! *lol* Ten hour plus days! ~ PT ~ Oh the mind, mind has mountains, cliffs of fall Frightful, sheer, no-man-fathomed. Hold them cheap may who ne'er hung there. ~ Gerard Manley Hopkins, " No Worst, There Is None " ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~> , Gary Mattingly <gsmattingly wrote: > > Hi, > > There are some nice pictures here: > > http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/leoocymifolia.htm > > > More pictures and info: > http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/58073/ > http://www.mazatecgarden.com/information/dagga_info.htm > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonotis_leonurus > > Actually just google for Leonotis leonurus > and click on images on top and you'll get tons > of images. Very nice orange flowers. In my garden > they grow about four feet tall or so. I have two plants. > > Gary > > gsmattingly > San Francisco Bay Tri-Valley Area > USDA Zone - 9b > Sunset zone - 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2007 Report Share Posted September 9, 2007 Glad you liked the links. Yes they are pretty plants. They're competing with some perennial sunflowers and some milkweeds right now. I have to cut them back before the frosts and mulch them a fair amount to make sure the roots are okay. Sorry to hear about the work from hell. Gary --- ~ PT ~ <patchouli_troll wrote: > Thank you for the links to the pictures of wild > dagga plants. Man they sure are pretty. Very > exotic and impressive. That is so cool you are > able to grow them in your garden. > Sorry I was unable to reply sooner. This past > week at work was hell! *lol* Ten hour plus days! > > ~ PT ~ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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