Our weed patch is thriving and the mitsuba has been a wonderful new addition to our kitchen. Also known as Japanese parsley, mitsuba is used as both an herb and a salad green. Similar in texture and appearance to watercress, it is relatively easy to grow and is used in its entirety, from the roots to the leaves. Miitsuba leaves happily take a light charring with a blow torch although you have to be careful not to overcook them as they will lose flavor if taken too far. Now that ours has grown to reasonable size we can begin further explorations. The bolder, slightly spicy notes of mitsuba are asserive and flavorful enough to act as the foundation for building a dish. One idea that has us very excited is a salsa verde made with mitsuba. Another is a riff on Clams Casino finished with mitsuba crumbs. As our mitsuba grows, we do not want to forget to use the flowers and stems, so a raw fish and vegetable dish that will feature them together is definitely coming soon.
