Les Stroud's Wild Harvest

- [Narrator] This program made possible by Forest River.

We have always been dedicated to helping people experience the joy of the outdoors by building a full range of recreational vehicles.

At Forest River, your needs and and lifestyle are at the forefront of everything we do.

Forest River, follow the river.

To learn more visit forestriver.

- Hey everyone, on "Les Stroud's Wild Harvest" I get the opportunity to show you a few tips and some techniques for gathering wild edibles.

But this is only meant to open the doors for you to an amazing adventure of being and partaking of the wild harves The only way to truly and safely identify a plant so that you can harvest it and harvest it properly is to seek knowledge from a loca Use your books, go online, but find somebody locally who's passionate about wild edib take their courses and then you can safely enjoy the wild harvest.

(somber piano music) You know, for years, whether it was "Survivorman" or "Beyond Survival" or many oth that I've worked on, including of course now "Wild Harvest," it's the research trips, the sco the learning that I get to do that gets me the most excited.

As you start to explore local fo you'll find that it's those trips you do to scout an area, to look for plants.

You'll come across plants like this one right here, serviceberry.

It's not ready yet but you know that it's here now.

Or plants that were ready two weeks before you got there, you'll remember that for next ye It's so much fun to get out and to scout locations to do local foraging because the research and the learning, those are your tickets to the wild harvest.

(uplifting music) (grass rustles) - This is incredible.

- Isn't this crazy?

And I found this just by being curious while I was scouting, looking around to see what I cou in terms of wild edibles.

And I really didn't know where I and I had one of those bitten with that bug of, oh, I wonder what's up over there?

Wonder it's around that next cor And so I looked up here and I thought I got to climb that rock and just see what's up here and found this, and I thought this is where I'd like to bring ya.

- Amazing.

- Rather than just give you this first plant as a culinary delight, something we can put in a salad or you can cook or dig up in any way, shape or form simply eat.

I'm gonna throw you a little bit of a loop.

This one you can't eat.

It's an aromatic- - Okay.

- And it's right behind you.

It's red as your hands right the That's big sagebrush.

Grab some and have a smell.

(Paul inhales deeply) See your eyes come alive here.

- Aromatherapy.

- Isn't that great?

- Straight up.

Oh wow, that's intense and you know, it's dimensional.

It doesn't really have just one floral tone to it.

It's all over the landscape.

- So it's really easy to get confused and think, oh, it's sage.

It's actually not the sage famil Sage is in the mint family.

This is an entirely different ge artemisia tridentata, sagebrush.

And in fact, it's toxic.

So we can't eat the leaves, but as an aromatic is it working for you?

- Oh, I love it.

It's great.

I'm blown away.

One smell, like even the residual on my fingers right now, poof.

- I just thought if you could kind of sculpt the meal around this Western sagebrush and the fact that it is an aromatic, so you can incorporate it into the recipe as well in one way, shape or form.

I thought it would be exciting f - Yeah, I like this.

This is a good one.

- Gonna it work?

- Yeah.

- All right.

Well, let's go on to the next on Growing in arid or semi-arid con you can find big sagebrush in the North American west from British Columbia to Baja, C and across to New Mexico.

Look for it in the mountains, cold deserts and steps.

Growing right beside the sagebru is balsamroot, a good indicator for the health of an ecosystem.

This member of the sunflower family can be found in the dry and open meadows of the mountain west of North America.

All right Paul, come on in.

I did say to you, at one point we were chatting.

I said, you know, the next plant is almost the opposite of the fi the first plant being the sagebr Why I say that is because the sa it's not a culinary plant really It's aromatic.

And we can't even ingest it because it's toxic.

This is the opposite.

Every part of this plant is edible all year long.

So this is the arrow-leaved bals and this is your main stay for t The challenge is not every part is so palatable.

What you'll find with this is that the larger older leaves, they tend to get a bit fibrous, but you can offset that by cooki The root is actually the most cherished part.

It's kind of like a, like a carrot in a way.

So there's always a little bit of bitterness to deal with plants like these.

(mellow music) (leaves rustle) - Well, there's a lot of aroma there as well.

It smells like pine resin.

It's intense.

- It is.

- It really is.

Like this is gonna be a challeng to knock that flavor down.

- Yeah.

- Like boiling is a good idea.

The leaves are extremely bitter.

- [Les] Bitter hey?

Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Did you try the petals?

- I did.

Not as bitter.

I actually liked them but they still had a bitter undertone, but it's a different bitter, definitely manageable.

- The beauty of this plant for me, I've never tasted it.

It's a new one for me and this is one of the things I love so much is discovering ne So when I'm out with you and I can enjoy a plant that I've never enjoyed before, it's just bonus day.

(mellow music) (shovels clangs) Perfect specimen.

That's what I'm looking for righ Aww.

Ow!

Ugh.

Ugh.

- [Kevin] Did that suck?

- Yes, that sucked.

There's cactus everywhere and I leaned down on one with the full force of my weight on my arm.

I'm bleeding from my craft.

(mellow music) now the job's getting fun.

(mellow music) (melancholic piano music) (water burbles) Aww, I love that smell.

And why am I in the Burrowing Ow Well, with all the talk of terroir that Paul and I always do, the flavor, the the aroma of a particular area, well, we're in wine country.

So I thought, okay, maybe his surprise can simply be wine.

He loves to cook with wine anywa All has to do is pick his favorite varietal from this wine and he can put that in the mix.

This is gonna be good.

(melancholic piano music) Okay.

- What have we got?

- The reveal.

You already know some of what's underneath here, right?

So we've got our sagebrush and then the Balsam root, right?

So that's gonna be the big thing for experimenting with the leaves, the petals, the For the third and final ingredie and the only surprise in this mix, I thought well, well let's take a look around.

I mean, where are we right now?

And I figured, well, we're in wine territory.

- Oh, oh.

- So, you have the choice of any wine from this vineyard to cook with.

We've got three reds and three w but I want you to take the sagebrush, the taproot, the leaves, the petals and find what kind of wine works with the meal.

So, what's your reaction?

What do you think now that I've to put the challenge of cooking with some wine?

- Do you know what?

It is actually a gift.

One reason in particular is I haven't really thought about the protein as of yet.

- Okay.

- So to dial a wine in with the flavor of a protein is gonna be a really good starti But then I have to think about the bitter flavors.

There's most definitely gonna be some experimentation.

- You've already smelled the sag you've already tasted the balsam You tasted the taproot from the balsamroot.

Why don't we simply go somewhere and taste these wines and figure out how the wine work - I like the way you think.

- It's a deal.

All right, let's go.

- So I think the best thing I can do is try and showcase all of these components, the flower, the stem, the leaf, the root so they kind of are holding their own, but still add up to a delicious I'm thinking a salad of sorts, but not really.

It's more of an appetizer, (soft taps) I crack at like a lobster.

That is crazy the smell that's coming off of this.

I'm gonna cook these like a pota I'm gonna bring them to a boil rather than drop them into boili I have an idea of how to handle these extremely bitter leaves and that's to mix with something that's extremely which in this case is honey.

All right, time for me to check out the stems.

Okay, I found my first win.

The fiber's gone, I've got a gre the flavor's mellowed and now it is more along those lines of a green bean and that's good.

I'm treating this stem like aspa and peeling the outside and letting it come apart where it's tender.

I'm also using my fingernails kind of as a tender test, putting my fingernails in.

And I can tell where the resista If it's too Woody and it doesn't it's gonna be tough to the teeth It kinda reminds me texturally of a combination of a green bean and asparagus at this stage.

Okay, I think I'm there.

Time to drop these flower stems, cold water, stop the cooking process.

So the important thing about blanching and refreshing is the change of temperature spe extreme hot to extreme cold.

What you achieve is number one, you control the cooking process so you don't overcook it by having it sit out on the counter.

But the added benefit is color and color comes alive.

You need cold water to do that t Warm water won't do the trick.

One thing most definitely though, is it's your palette, it's your taste, it's how you like to cook.

If you like things to be crispy, cook them less.

If you like things to be soft, cook them longer.

Blanch and refresh.

(happy music) - This beautiful plant right here, artemisia tridentata, the big sagebrush is just, it truly is the symbol of the west.

And this one, you can kind of figure it out for a positive identification by at the ends of the leaves.

Let's see if you can see that against my hand there.

See that, see it looks like little fingers there.

That is a way to know that this is big sagebrush and as well the thing to note is the silvery gray appearance of the leaves.

And just take a look at them and you can see how it just got this beautiful silve greenish, grayish hue to them.

Beautiful way to identify this s The other thing to be cautious of with this particular plant is it's highly allergenic.

So some people may get allergic in touching the skin with the pl and as well it's highly toxic.

You cannot take this internally.

Mostly it's used medicinally.

It's used as for smudging, for incense, that kind of thing, but you cannot eat these leaves.

It is toxic so it has to be treated as such and utilized really if you have great experience in working with a plant that is otherwise toxic but usable in the aromatic sense So you wanna be really careful w - Okay, I've got the first cours It's not gonna be big, but it doesn't need to be big.

This is kind of a pallet teaser.

I want Les to get the flavors of and understanding the different now at least a few of the differ the flower, the stem and the lea Now the one thing that this dish to give it some bulk, I'm using some apple, which will make the dish more su (upbeat country music) (mellow music) Here's something less, I don't think will see coming.

(mellow music) (grinder crunches) (wine burbles) Okay.

- All set?

- I'm gonna let you open this up - All right.

Kev, you all ready?

- Rolling.

- This is the moment.

Oh.

Mmmm.

That's amazing.

- So- - That's the sagebrush.

- That's the sagebrush.

- Okay.

- [Les] I completely enjoyed the aroma there.

I got it.

It wasn't lost on me a There was a bit of a break in th when I went for it and yeah, that sagebrush smell is just heavenly.

How do you want me to eat this?

- The best way is eat it as a wh but pay attention to where it sits on your palette.

- Completely unexpected flavor.

I need another, I need another go with this.

I've never had this flavor in my mouth before.

This is, I'm gonna try this agai (mellow piano music) Hmm, you know what?

I wanna give you my impression o but what about the wine?

- Okay, that's the curve ball.

- Okay.

- I haven't tried this together as of yet- - Shall we?

- But I think we should.

Cheers.

(glasses clink) - That was a good pairing buddy.

You paired it up beautifully.

Well, okay.

Here's my reaction then.

As I was eating it, you're absolutely right.

Every single spoonful had a different flavor.

That's a nuance to eating that I think is often lost.

- Yeah.

- You know, we eat a meal and you almost want every fork full to be exactly the same as the la because you're eating something but that's not very adventurous.

It's not much fun.

This is more fun.

Every single spoonful was differ from the last in terms of its fl What I did notice was that, that aromatic nature of this particular dish, and I'm not even speaking about the sage at this point, the sagebrush, I'm talking about the bitter, the balsamroot bitterness, which again, very gentle.

As I ate it, it traveled across but the whole thing went like a wave up into my nose.

- Wow.

- As far as I'm concerned you got a complete win on your h - That's alright.

(mellow piano music) This next dish actually requires a whole bottle of wine.

Good thing we like wine.

(preppy guitar music) All right, this dish does not ne on the chicken breast so I'm just gonna pull that off.

That goes into the wine.

The key here is to gently simmer the chicken, not hard, boil it.

I wanna make sure that everything stays nice and tender Chicken and wine, doesn't get much more classic as far as two flavors coming tog to make one big flavor profile.

(mellow music) Okay, that chicken is almost the My hunch is whatever heat is lef that residual heat is gonna cook it all the way right to that nice tender part of perfection.

Look at that color.

I'm making a rice flour slurry.

Water, rice flour, that's it.

I'm using this to thicken the wine that's been reducing.

(pan sizzles) I'm gonna I taste this stock.

Okay, that's a nice surprise.

The flavor of the root has actually made a wonderful stock.

I think I'll use it to glaze the onions and mushrooms and everything I have for the co and just cook that down.

Time to strain the red wine sauc and to here and then one more ti I'm gonna let it reduce, let the flavors develop and that should add a nice complexity to this dish.

(stew bubbles) (mellow drum music) Okay.

I feel like I've made some good choices there.

I've got these blanched leaves l from when I was playing with the And I think they have a place in this dish.

So here's the trick.

They've been cooked for about four to five minutes.

I'm rolling them like a cigar and I'm just gonna press them together.

so they stick.

Kinda looks like a cigar or grape leaf roll.

I'm looking for just a nice roun that I can add to the plate that will be a flavor bomb of the balsamroot leaf.

Really does look like a cigar.

(soft piano music) Gotta get my flowers organized.

Even though it's windy I can sme Okay.

I think I'm there.

(soft piano music) - Wow.

- So what you have is chicken and wine.

- Okay, all right.

- And essentially it's chicken that's been poached in the same wine that we're about to drink.

And then I used the wine that I cooked chicken in- - Okay.

- Combined with the liquor or the stock from cooking the ba for hours and hours and hours to make the base of the sauce.

- Ah.

Like it almost, yeah, so you've extracted the broth.

- That's it.

The one thing that is a little bit misleading when you think chicken is, it has to go with white wine.

And in this case it goes with re and it's cooked in red wine.

- Okay.

- [Paul] And it's a big flavor d (soft piano music) (Les groans) - Wow.

Let me do a bite here with the balsamroot prominent.

It's there, but it's pretty nuan You really have to... Where is it, where's it?

Oh, there it is.

Oh, no it's gone again, sort of thing.

So if anything, I would actually and what, I'm gonna do it.

I would sprinkle more of this on Why not?

It's not bothering me right now in terms of bitterness.

And I really wanna get the balsamroot in there.

- [Paul] The fiber was the number one roadblock in dealing with balsamroot.

- Okay, last question then.

Why the Merlot for this particul and why continue the pairing by also drink the Merlot?

- So if you smell the wine... - Hmm mm.

- Just in the way that we talked about terroir and we had the sagebrush smoke with the first dish, this is bringing us back to the winery.

This is bringing us to this time of place, our location.

This wine, really, to me, smells earthy and dynamic and this dish is an earthy dish.

- This is actually a wonderful discovery of mine that in our quest to enjoy local to enjoy the wild harvest, it's not just me that is exploring and learning, but you are as well in the kitch And that's actually what I think the most exciting part of this entire journey for Chef Paul and I. I'm growing as a result of connecting with these plants.

Chef Paul is growing as a chef and connecting with entirely new plants.

And in the end researching and l about the natural world, that truly is the magic of the wild harvest.

(melancholic music) (lively music) If you'd like to continue the wi with me and Chef Paul Rogalski, then please check out our website at wildharvestfilms.com, where we have recipes and forgin along with deleted scenes and ou from the making of "Les Stroud's Wild Harvest."

- [Announcer] Directly inspired by the series, Chef Paul and expert forger Les bring you the "Wild Harvest" season two recipe book.

Highlighting all of Paul's dishe and complete with behind-the-scenes stories, it is available for $29.99.

In addition, a DVD of this seaso is also available for $19.99.

To order, please go to wildharvestfilms.com, "Wild Harvest" TV show on Facebo or "Les Stroud's Wild Harvest" o (gentle music) (wind whistling) (birds chirping) - [Announcer] This program made possible by Forest River.

(gentle music) We have always been dedicated to helping people experience the joy of the outdoors by building a full range of recreational vehicles.

At Forest River, your needs, interest, and lifestyle are at the forefront of everythi Forest River, follow the river.

To learn more, visit ForestRiver (whooshing) (lively music)