Lovely, lovely marsh samphire/glasswort (Salicornia), is in uber abundance at the moment near me. Perfect picking time before it starts developing a woody pith. Not a lot I can say other than try this lush samphire recipe.
Ingredients
- 300g marsh samphire
- 250ml white wine vinegar
- 50g caster sugar
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 fresh wild fennel sprigs (chopped)
- ½tsp juniper berries
Suggested Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Pickout the juniper berries and bay leaf and allow to cool before bottling in clean jars.
Makes: 400g
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
July and August are supposed to be the best times for Samphire on the Norfolk/Lincolnshire border area. Go to the Sir Peter Scott Walk and head straight out on to the marshes and there’s plenty there. Be very careful of bare patches as these will be places one can sink right in.
Hi Nigel.I live a little further up the coast in the n. east. would love to know if there is any marsh samphire up here? are there any web sites etc., i can refer to. thanks.
I love samphire and have been buying it from my local fishmongers – I wouldn’t have a clue where to start looking for it though near where I live (Sussex area) – any ideas?
Zoe, it grows in Pagham Harbour, on the flat ground just behind the beach. It is a nature reserve though, so you would need to check it’s OK to pick it there.
Hi, as you can see I live is S.A. what do you call it here, and what does it look like>
Hi Robin,
Thanks for the recipe. I braved the mud of the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, came home and made your pickle. I think 10 mins may have been a bit long for the simmering as the samphire is falling apart.
I think my fennel sprigs were too big, there’s a big aniseed flavour in there. It’s still cooling down, mind you. I’ll keep it a week before eating, allowing the flavours to infuse.
Do you think you could manage to post a picture of a typical sprig of fennel?
Cheers,
Steve.
I’ve tasted the pickle after a week and the flavour is growing on me. I like it. Just could be a little more crisp.
Thanks for the tip! Do you know if it also grows by the River Adur? Is it easy to identify them i.e. is there anything that looks similar to them that isn’t edible?
Tried samphire for the first time a few weeks ago. At first, I thought I liked it. Then I found it too salty.
hi, i live quiite near 3 beaches, penarth, barry island and porthcawl,can you tell me if there is samfire at any of these, and where abouts,,,,