Curly Dock Seed Griddle Cakes

We live among many other nations - plant, animal, above and below, seen and unseen. We may not always be aware of them, much less in active relationship, but our own lives are strengthened when we take the time to get to know our relatives better. And - as with most things - the value in these choices and actions ripples much farther than what may appear on the surface. With acknowledgement and gratitude comes a a return of recognition and sharing. You may not have taken the time to get to know (and thank) curly dock (Rumex crispus), but they are probably nearby and thriving. If and when you approach the dock people, acknowledge them and bring a gift of tobacco. Let them know who you are and why you have come to see them. Pay attention to how they might respond; they may be happy to share their bounty.

Dock is a very common naturalized perennial found nearly everywhere in this region, with persistent, rusty brown seed heads on a sturdy stalk about 2-3 feet tall, rising from a rosette of curl, coarse leaves. The seeds can readily be gathered and ground into a coarse flour to make firm, thin, dark griddle cakes quite similar to buckwheat - adding a lemon/raspberry tanginess with ground staghorn sumac berries to balance a bit of bitterness that is one of its characteristics (again, very similar to buckwheat).

Here’s a way of enjoying (one of) the gifts of the dock nation:

Spread 2 ½ cups clean dry curly dock seeds (about ½ “ thick layer) on a small baking pan

Toast dock seed for 3 ½ minutes in toaster oven (seeds just begin to crackle) and let cool

Process in blender until a coarse flour texture (3X at high speed for 10 seconds each)

2 ½ cups of seeds makes 2/3 cup flour

Mix dry:

2/3 cup ground dock seed flour

2/3 cup unbleached wheat flour

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp ground dried sumac berries

Add:

2 tbsp maple syrup

Add:

Warm water (about 1 ¼ cups, add last bit slowly)

Mix by hand with spoon til pourable

Fry pancake style in vegetable oil 1/4 cup scoopful at a time on a medium-low heat griddle

Let bubbles form and pop on first side

(check underside to prevent burning)

Flip and continue cooking til second side is done

Remove to paper towel on plate

Makes 4 or 5 cakes!

Wliwni - thank you