Garden egg

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum), also known as mustard and cress, garden pepper cress, pepperwort, or pepper grass, is a fast-growing, edible herb that is botanically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor and aroma.

Description

Garden cress is a biennial plant most commonly grown as an annual. It has a rosette of leaves at the base and a stem that is usually branched and leafy. The white to pinkish flowers are only 2 mm across and clustered in small branched inflorescences. The fruit is a pod containing two seeds.

Cultivation

Garden cress is commercially grown in England, France, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia. It is suitable for hydroponic cultivation and thrives in slightly alkaline water. In many local markets, the demand for hydroponically grown cress can exceed available supply, partially because cress leaves are not suitable for distribution in dried form, so they can only be partially preserved.

Culinary uses

Garden cress is added to soups, sandwiches and salads for its tangy flavor. It is also eaten as sprouts, and the fresh or dried seed pods can be used as a peppery seasoning (haloon). In the United Kingdom, cut cress shoots are commonly used in sandwiches with boiled eggs, mayonnaise and salt.

Health benefits

Garden cress is genetically related to such plants as Arabidopsis thaliana and radish. It is rich in iron, folic acid, calcium, vitamins C, E and A. The seeds are high in calories and protein, with a substantial amount of dietary fiber and other nutrients.

See also

• List of vegetables
• List of culinary herbs and spices
• List of leaf vegetables

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