Salad Burnet is an intriguing herb, since in spite of its name, it has far more visual than culinary interest.  An evergreen, flowering plant that well deserves a place in the garden, it is quite cold-hardy.  A freeze following winter rain can result in stunningly dramatic ice-decorated blue-green leaves!  

The distinctly cucumber-scented leaves provide the familiar summery flavor to a winter salad.  To use the leaves, just cut a handful of the small ones from the center of the plant and chop or cut them into salad greens.  Burnet’s habit — it grows from a crown — promotes very rapid re-growth of new leaves after shearing thus for culinary use.

Its mild flavor also makes its leaves a welcome addition to asparagus, celery, beans, and mushrooms, as well as soups and even potato salad.