Greek Chicken with Sliced Cucumbers and Yam Berry Hummus

This morning I went out to a favorite foraging spot to gather sumac, but all the sumac plants were completely stripped bare of their berries by birds, so I decided to go mushroom hunting out in the woods instead. I found some nice chanterelles, but there weren't very many, so I left them. Next, I decided to try and dig up some Chinese yam. Unfortunately, the areas of soil I tried to dig in had so many roots, it was nearly impossible to dig a hole, so I gave up. Finally, I contented myself with gathering yam berries from the Chinese Yam to make a yam berry hummus.

Invasive Chinese Yam vine bearing numerous bulbils ('berries').

 If you're out foraging in Alabama in the summertime and keep coming up empty-handed, you can always count on the yam berry being around. Chinese yam is invasive, which is a shame because if it wasn't, it'd be an excellent plant for the garden. That said, if you find some, you can take as much as you want without fear of damaging the ecosystem. Most of the time I don't bother with the smaller yam berries, because there's usually more in a given area than I actually need. However, if even after gathering the small ones you find yourself with fewer than you'd like all you gotta do is look down. The vines climb if given the chance, but they also seem perfectly happy growing right on the ground.

I'm serving my yam berry hummus with a Greek chicken dish that is an enduring classic in my home. It's easy to make and the roasted potatoes are simply fantastic. I also sliced up some cucumbers to dip in the hummus. If you're like me and you've got more cucumbers coming out of the garden than you know what to do with right now, give this a try! (Recipe Below)

A finished plate of Greek chicken with sides and yam berry hummus.

Yam Berry Hummus

Prepared yam berry hummus.

12 ounces yam berries

1/4 cup tahini

The juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp cumin

1 clove of garlic

1 cup of water

Salt and pepper to taste

Parsley to garnish

1. Boil the yam berries for thirty minutes or until very soft, strain, and allow to cool.

2. Add lemon juice and tahini to a blender or food processor and puree for 1 minute.

3. Add your oil and spices and puree another minute.

4. Add your cooled yam berries and puree.

5. Slowly stir in water until you get the consistency you want.

6. Garnish with a slick of olive oil and some parsley.

Greek Chicken

2 chicken legs cut into drums and thighs

Greek chicken and veggies out of the oven.

3 medium size yellow potatoes

1 zucchini

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp garlic powder

3 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp rosemary

The juice of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Marinate your chicken, potatoes, and zucchini in a mixing bowl with the rest of your ingredients for at least 4 hours.

2. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

3. Place the chicken and potatoes on a foil lined baking sheet and place it in the oven. Reserve the zucchini.

4. After 20 minutes flip the chicken and potatoes. After another 20 minutes flip the chicken and potatoes and add the zucchini.

5. Bake for another 20 minutes. At the end I like to turn the broiler on for extra browning.

Plate and serve.

Written by Tyler Hill

Board Member, The Shoals Backyard

Foraging Disclaimer:

Foraging for wild edibles should always be done with care and proper knowledge. Misidentification or improper preparation of wild plants can be dangerous or even deadly. Always consult multiple reliable sources before consuming any wild plant, and never eat anything you are not 100% certain you have correctly identified and prepared. The information in this post is for educational purposes only—use your best judgment and proceed at your own risk.