Be the predator you want to see in the world
There are few living things as selfish as garlic mustard.
Have you ever met someone truly evil? Someone who makes decisions solely for their own benefit, even at the expense of others? Who would rather let others go hungry or die than compromise or share? Yeah, me neither.
But then there’s garlic mustard — an invasive plant with large heart-shaped leaves and tiny, white flowers. Garlic mustard is explosively abundant in forests and roadsides across North America.
Once established, garlic mustard can out-compete nearly all native plants and tree seedlings in a forest’s understory. Each plant produces about 8,000 seeds per season and can regenerate from roots left in the soil. Plants removed from the soil or put in the compost can still produce viable seeds. But the most nefarious garlic mustard trick happens underground, hidden away. The roots secrete noxious substances that kill beneficial soil fungi that other plants need to survive, such as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). In a heartwarming symbiotic relationship, AMF grows into the root cells of plants and delivers mineral nutrients from the soil in exchange for sugars. Without AMF, many plants wouldn’t survive. And fewer native plants means reduced forest diversity, which leads to problems farther up the food chain for pollinators and herbivores.
Garlic mustard seeds were originally brought to North America by European settlers as a food source in the 1800s. Garlic mustard leaves are rich in vitamins A and C, and are a source of calcium and antioxidants. The leaves have a pungent, garlicky smell and taste. They’re typically used as an herb or leafy green vegetable in pesto, stir-fry, sauces, salads, and soups. The seeds can be used as a spice, like mustard seed, while the roots can be harvested raw to make horseradish.
When settlers arrived they planted some seeds, hoping to get a small and steady supply of edible herb. Instead, they introduced a forest biodiversity terminator. In Europe, garlic mustard has natural enemies — small weevils — that prevent populations from dominating forest ecosystems. But here in North America, the plant lacks predators probably because it’s so pungent and bitter-tasting.That’s where people come in. Because who doesn’t like the taste of garlic?
Garlic mustard starts growing in forest understories and along park trails around March. Early spring is an ideal time for pulling garlic mustard out of the ground and banishing plants to landfills. It’s also the perfect time to harvest garlic mustard for a simple vegan pesto pasta recipe.
INGREDIENTS
- 250 grams uncooked pasta
- 3 cloves of garlic (substitute with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder for less intense flavour)
- ¼ cup garlic mustard leaves (use extra as garnish)
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Locate garlic mustard in your neighbourhood.
2. Harvest by grabbing the base of each plant and pulling until the entire taproot comes out (the root should taper to a wispy point).
3. Place plants in a bag, making sure no leaves or seeds fall out.
4. Pick garlic mustard leaves off stems and wash thoroughly.
5. Cook pasta according to directions on package.
6. Combine garlic, garlic mustard leaves, avocado, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil if the sauce is too thick.
7. Once the sauce is the right consistency (like a really thick green smoothie), add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Drain pasta and put back into pot. Slather the sauce over the pasta until evenly covered.
9. Finish with lemon zest and garnish with garlic mustard leaves if you’re feeling fancy.
10. Throw remaining plant parts into the garbage.
Do not compost.
Illustration by Justin Francisco