Groundnut harvests are abundant, and you can easily dig large basketfuls at one time.
Apios americana
wild bean, Indian potato, potato bean
EDIBLE tubers
Gather this nutty flavored, edible tuber for sautéing and roasting. The groundnut is high in plant protein and a delicious root vegetable to add to the forager’s dinner table.
Groundnut is a sprawling vine that can climb up, over, and across considerable amounts of woodland vegetation. Its leaves are pinnate and compound, with five to nine smooth, ovate leaflets. The groundnut vine attaches to anything with its thin tendril stems, and it produces delicately beautiful two-toned, purple-mauve, fragrant flowers which are arranged in clusters that bloom in late July and into August.
The edible tubers are found immediately underneath the soil’s surface and sometimes can be seen without digging in areas where there is running water. The tubers grow like potatoes do. They are connected by small rhizomes and can range from the size of a grape to as large as softballs. The outer skin of the tuber—the rind—is tan and surrounds a white, starchy inside. A white latex exudes from the cut tuber.
Areas of groundnut can be spotted at a distance, and upon closer survey, you will notice that the ground is wet, as the groundnut loves the rich, well-drained soils of ditches and stream beds. Groundnuts can be found many places where you might see Joe Pye weed and elder. You will most likely see its tendrils and purple flowers wrapped around the branches of elder while you harvest elderberries. In some areas, spring streams will clean away open areas from which to harvest the tubers, making identification and harvesting easy.
The tuber can be gathered at any time of the year with a shovel. In an hour’s time and in the right soil conditions, you can easily collect 30 to 40 pounds. The thickness of the tuber rind will indicate age, as the thicker the rind is, the older the tuber. The thicker rinds will need to be peeled in the kitchen before processing; the younger rinds can be left on. Wear kitchen gloves, as the milky latex can irritate sensitive skin. Store the cleaned tubers in a damp cloth or sack in the refrigerator or in cold storage.
The groundnut, as tubers go, has a nuttier flavor than a cultivated potato and is significantly more fibrous. This should be taken into account during its preparation. As a legume (in the family Fabaceae), the groundnut is high in plant proteins. As for grains and legumes, soaking the groundnut prior to cooking improves its digestibility, particularly for those are sensitive to legumes (those with noted allergies are advised to avoid the groundnut).
Chop or parboil the groundnut tubers before sautéing, roasting, or freezing to help break down the fibers of the food. It’s a food that will add substance and protein density to any dish, of particular value if you want to decrease your reliance on animal proteins. The groundnut can be prepared in soups, stews, casseroles, and skillet meals with a variety of flavorings—Indian curry, Latin flavors, Asian soy and tamari, or French herbs. You can use it fresh or parboil and freeze it for use later.
The groundnut actually thrives from additional harvesting. By mindfully tilling and turning the soil and breaking up the rhizomes, the forager allows the groundnut to propagate and spread. As a nitrogen fixer, the plant is an excellent permaculture crop. It is a good companion plant for berry crops that like moist but well-drained soil, and it restores soil fertility to the immediate area.