Avronies Greens
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Avronies are variable in size, depending on their maturity at harvest, and can range from 10 to 40 centimeters in length. The young shoots feature long, slender, and spindly stems, covered in a few small cordate-shaped leaves that grow in spiral formations. The tops of the shoots also resemble asparagus heads with a cluster of narrow, overlapping leaves. Avronies appear in variegated shades of dark purple and green hues, and the stems can be matte to slightly glossy, depending on age and growing conditions. When cooked, the young shoots have a pliable, snappy, and crisp consistency with a lightly chewy nature. Avronies are not edible raw and must be cooked before consumption. The shoots have a fresh, vegetal, and grassy aroma, reminiscent of asparagus and a bitter, green taste. Their bitterness lessens with cooking but can sometimes remain, varying with accompanying ingredients and cooking styles.
Seasons/Availability
Avronies are available from late winter through spring, typically from February through May. Depending on the climate and seasonal conditions, they may appear earlier in the winter in some regions.
Current Facts
Avronies, botanically classified as Dioscorea communis, are the young shoots of a climbing plant belonging to the Dioscoreaceae family. The spreading stems can reach 2 to 4 meters in length and creep along the ground between bushes, trees, and other plants, always twining around objects in a counterclockwise orientation. Avronies are naturally found throughout Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia, but the use of the young shoots is traditionally associated with culinary preparations in the Mediterranean. The species is only found in the wild and is not cultivated. Avronies are an anticipated seasonal delicacy collected in the late winter and spring, and the young shoots are found in small quantities, making foraging a laborious and time-consuming process. The shoots’ bitter taste is regarded as a medicinal and culinary ingredient, and their use has been passed between generations. Avronies is known by many names, including Ovria, Adrania, Avrounia, and Avronia in Greece, Kuke in Croatian, Tamier, Taminier, and Respounchous in French. In English, the species is called Black Bryony. It is important to note that Avronies are sometimes referred to as wild asparagus, but the species is distinct and separate from true wild asparagus types. Avronies are challenging to find in local markets and are sought by chefs and home cooks as a delicacy for savory, cooked preparations.
Nutritional Value
Avronies have not been extensively studied for their nutritional properties. The species has been used in natural medicines for centuries as an anti-inflammatory. The fleshy root is scraped and pounded into a pulp as a poultice. This pulp releases a mucilaginous sap that is sometimes cooked over slow heat or mixed with other ingredients to make a paste. This paste is topically applied to soothe burns and bruises. Avronies are also used in medicinal remedies for issues associated with the urinary tract. A few sources note that the young shoots may contain some levels of magnesium, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, but more studies need to be conducted before conclusions can be made. The shoots’ bitter taste is derived from saponins naturally found in the stems and leaves. Saponins can be lessened when cooked in boiling water and should only be consumed in small quantities.
Applications
Avronies have a bitter, green, and vegetal taste suited for cooked preparations. The young stems must be cooked and are considered inedible raw. Avronies are trimmed of fibrous portions and typically blanched before use to help reduce their bitterness. The foraged shoots throughout Europe, especially in France and Greece, are primarily cooked into omelets and egg-based dishes. On the island of Crete, Avronies are popularly combined with wild greens in omelets as a nutritious meal. They are also boiled with lemon juice, vinegar, and olive oil as a side dish. As the tender shoots release liquid, a mixture of lemon and flour is sometimes used to create a thick broth, which is soaked up and eaten through crusty bread or rusks. Avronies is often added to pork-based dishes or simmered into stews and soups in France. The shoots are also used in fritters, added to polenta, mixed into risotto and pasta, or served with seafood like octopus, salmon, and scallops. Avronies pairs well with herbs and spices such as tarragon, parsley, oregano, bay leaves, and cumin, aromatics like garlic and onions, eggs, bacon, goat, lamb, potatoes, and tomatoes. Whole, freshly harvested Avronies should be prepared and eaten on the same day for the best quality and flavor. The young shoots can also be stored, depending on their maturity, for up to six days when wrapped in a damp paper towel and placed in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Avronies are annually promoted as a symbol of spring in the commune of Cordes-sur-Ciel in the Tarn Department of France through a celebration called the Fêtes de Responchons. The springtime festival honors the history of foraging for the young shoots in the region and encourages locals and visitors to discover the joys of incorporating the stems into culinary preparations. The Fêtes de Responchons is managed by the “Les Quatre Saisons” or the “Four Seasons Committee” and the event features guided maps for foraging Avronies. Collecting the young shoots is a social affair, and large groups gather and venture into natural landscapes to pick the fleeting tender stems. The festival also hosts tastings and dinners led by chefs who focus the meals on Avronies and demonstrate how they can be used in more dishes beyond the traditional recipes.
Geography/History
Dioscorea communis, formerly known as Tamus communis, has been growing wild since ancient times and is naturally found throughout Southern and Central Europe, Northern Africa, and Western Asia. The wild species was mentioned in writings by the Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides and the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder as a medicinal ingredient. Later in 1764, French botanist and naturalist Jacques-Christophe Valmont de Bomare also noted the species for its medicinal uses. Avronies remained a wild, foraged plant throughout history, and the use of the young, tender shoots was passed between familial generations as a foraged delicacy. Today, Avronies thrives in understory vegetation, creeping along the ground in forests, meadows, groves, along streams, and in shaded, moist areas. The species also climbs along walls, fences, on rocks, and up trees, and some records have mentioned their presence around the roots of orange and olive trees in the Mediterranean. Avronies are still found in their native growing regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, but the use of the foraged shoots is prevalently discussed in communities throughout France, Greece, and Croatia. When in season, Avronies are foraged from wild plants and sold in local fresh markets. The Avronies featured in the photograph above were sourced through a forager selling the shoots at a local open market in the city of Chania on the island of Crete.
