Beaked Hawksbeard

Beaked Hawksbeard arroucat, arrucat (Crespis vesicaria) comes as rosettes of incredibly bitter, dark green, deeply cut, toothed leaves that fold back on themselves when picked and washed, like a parasol. They are sold on Carcassonne, Olonzac and Narbonne markets. One stallholder gathers them on La Clape. They are eaten in salads both for pleasure and for health reasons. If you cut them up very finely they can give a robust flavour to a bland salad, but you might like to soak them in salt water for a while first.