It was a cold and frosty late afternoon on December 30th when Zillah and I decided to go chasing Gorse flowers. Vibrantly bright, Gorse certainly isn’t a timid plant. I love to graze on Gorse flowers when I walk. The sweet nectar that hides itself away at the bottom of the bud trickles onto my taste buds.

Today we gathered enough Gorse flowers to make a gorgeous Mid-Winter cordial you can have as a refreshing drink, or why not try it dribbled liberally over ice-cream.

A sweet, delicate cordial that becomes infused with the subtle coconut flavour of Gorse. It’s actually best to make this recipe in the Spring time when the flavour of the Gorse flowers is stronger. But we couldn’t resist this Mid-Winter treat, and although the flavour wasn’t as strong as in Spring time, it still makes a lovely drink.

Ingredients

• 600ml/21fl oz cold water
• 250g/1/2lb caster sugar
• Zest: 1 orange
• Juice: 1 lemon

Step 1

Gather 4 large handfuls of Gorse flowers.

Step 2

Measure out 250g/1/2lb of caster sugar.

Step 3

Measure out 600ml/21fl oz of cold water.

Step 4

Bring the water and sugar mixture to a rapid boil and keep boiling for 10 minutes. Remove pan from the heat.

Step 5

Juice 1 lemon

Step 6

Grate the zest of 1 orange.

Step 7

Measure 4 handfuls of Gorse flowers.

Step 8

Add the lemon juice, orange zest, and Gorse flowers to the sugar water (syrup). Stir in well and leave until cooled or overnight.

Step 9

Strain the liquid through muslin or a jelly bag into a clean container such as a glass jug.

Step 10

You should end up with roughly 500ml/18fl oz of liquid.

Step 11

Pour into a sterile bottle, cap and store. Refrigerate once you have given into temptation. Enjoy your Gorse flower cordial syrup.

Andrew Price (founder and head instructor of Dryad Bushcraft), takes you on a short stroll through the Gower Peninsula in Wales exploring a variety of edible wild plants.

Covered in this video…

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Other local names are Jack By The Hedge or Hedge Garlic. As Andrew mentions, any plant that is garlicky is often named Jack, which is an old word for the Devil, as in Devil’s Breath.

Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris)
Other local names are Pennywort or in this instance Wall Pennywort. Andrew reckons that it tastes like sugar-snap peas. Personally I find it has a fantastic flavour and it makes a great addition to a salad bag. As with many wild foods, the flavour can dramatically change within just a short distance. Even as close as 10 feet can make the difference between a good flavour and one that appears bitter.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus)
The wonderful coconut smell of Gorse flowers is unmistakable. Use the flower buds in a tea or pickled in vinegar and use like capers in salads.

Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris)
Young, tender leaves are eaten in salads, while older leaves can be steamed or fried gently. This is one of my favourite wild foods which I prefer to regular beets of which Sea Beet is the original ancestor.

Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia officinalis)
The leaves are slightly salty and peppery and along with the flower-heads can be added to salads. Great as a filling for sandwiches. Because of its high Vitamin C content it used to be taken on sea voyages.

Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum)
Young tender, flowering shoots are first blanched, usually by excluding light from the growing plant, and then boiled or steamed and eaten like asparagus. The roots can be boiled or roasted and are said to be similar to chestnuts or parsnips. In Elizabethan times the roots were candied and used as a main ingredient in Marrow-Bone pie.

Rock Samphire (Crithmum maritimum)
The salty/spicy leaves are pickled in vinegar or used like capers for flavouring foods. When I say capers, I am referring to how you find capers sold in countries like Greece, where you find ‘caper greens’ rather than the actual ‘caper berries’. The leaves are rich in Vitamin C.