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The marshmallow plant has pale pink flowers and thick roots. If you dig up those roots and soak them in water, they release something slippery. A clear mucilage that coats your fingers. People used to make sweets this way. They would chop the roots, steep them, strain the liquid. Then …
A delicate pink syrup that captures the fleeting essence of spring flowering currants. The gentle heating process preserves both the color and subtle floral notes. Perfect for drizzling over pancakes, stirring into prosecco, or using in springtime cocktails. SERVES Many (makes about 500ml) Gently shake the blossoms to remove any …
SERVES 2-4 The floral sweetness of currant blossoms paired with wild thyme creates a delicate honey perfect for drizzling over fresh ricotta or stirring into tea. Pick the blossoms on a dry morning when they’re most fragrant. Gently shake the currant blossoms to remove any insects, but don’t wash them …
SERVES 2 This bright spring salad celebrates the delicate flavor of flowering currant blossoms. The key is to dress it very simply and serve immediately while the flowers are fresh. Gently wash and dry the pea shoots. Tear any large leaves in half. Pick the flowering currant blossoms from their …
Method Pick, wash and dry some handfuls of young leaves. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the leaves and simmer for 20 minutes. Then drain the leaves and chop them up, melt a knob of butter in a small saucepan, add the chopped leaves along with …
This vibrant sorrel and cucumber soup is a refreshing blend of zesty sorrel, cooling cucumber, and creamy sour cream, with a gentle kick of chilli. Perfect for warm days or when you’re craving something light yet flavourful, it’s a versatile dish that can be served as a starter or a …
Ingredients Method Blanch the Bramble stems in boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain and set aside. Fry the onion until translucent. Add the flour and stir the mixture continuously for roughly 45 seconds. Add the stock and keep stirring on medium heat until the sauce thickens. Add the seasoning and …
A traditional celebratory dish from the Dolpo region of Nepal, featuring silverweed (Potentilla) roots and eight other auspicious ingredients. Note: It is illegal to dig up roots without landowner’s permission. Serves: 6-8 Ingredients Method Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, then add: Continue cooking …
A traditional dish made from foraged silverweed roots, commonly prepared in autumn when the roots are at their sweetest and largest. Note: It is illegal to dig up roots without landowner’s permission. Ingredients Method To Serve: Enjoy hot, either plain or with traditional accompaniments of yogurt and/or parched barley flour. …
Ingredients 150ml milk2 medium egg yolks150g caster sugar200ml double cream2 generous handfuls of gorse flowersA pinch of sea salt Method Begin by soaking the gorse flowers in the milk overnight in the fridge to let their unique fragrance infuse thoroughly. When you’re ready to make the ice cream, start by …
Enjoy this hearty Punjabi dish, perfect for cold winter evenings. The earthy flavours of the greens pair beautifully with the rustic, slightly sweet makki ki roti, creating a truly comforting meal. Ingredients For the Saag: For the Makki ki Roti: Method
Indulge in these golden, crispy fritters bursting with the vibrant flavours of fat hen and aromatic spices. This unique twist on a classic incorporates the earthy goodness of fat hen, creating a delightful fusion of textures and tastes. Ingredients Method Enjoy your crispy, flavourful spring onion fritters while they’re still …
Home > Plants > Rowan The Ryabinnik festival is a forgotten Russian folk celebration tied to the symbolic significance of the rowan tree (known as “ryabina” in Russian). The festival revolves around honouring the rowan tree, which has been associated with protection, female wisdom, and family happiness in Slavic traditions. …
Home > Plants > Rowan A flavourful syrup with a subtle almond aroma, perfect for cocktails, mocktails, coffee, teas, or even in baking. Rowan bud syrup recipe To make a delicious Rowan Bud Syrup with a hint of almond, rinse the rowan buds under cool water to remove any dirt. …
Home > Plants > Elder Elderflower cordial is a sweet summer drink. It captures the fragrant essence of elderflowers in a refreshing syrup. This homemade version is easy to make and far superior to store-bought varieties. Its delicate floral flavor and hint of citrus make it perfect for mixing with …
This Palestinian dish, also known as Khobiza, is a beloved traditional dish that showcases the vibrant flavours and rich culinary heritage of Palestinian cuisine. This humble yet delicious recipe features fresh mallow leaves, a nutrient-dense green cherished in the region for generations. Mallow leaves, with their tender texture and subtle …
I was given this recipe by my friend and fellow forager Marta Udalowa who lives in Italy. Ingredients If possible, your cherries will have the stems too, as this makes them easier to eat. We don’t remove pips. In your jar, put in the spices: cloves, mustard seeds, allspice and …
This is a traditional Greek dish known as Horta Vrasta, which translates to boiled greens. This dish is simple, healthy, and quite delicious. In Greece, it’s usually made with wild greens, but any kind of leafy greens will work just fine. Ingredients Instructions Typically serves 4-6 people as a side …
For this recipe, you’ll need young dandelion leaves, nettle leaves, wood avens leaves and tips, salt, pepper, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and fruity olive oil. Here’s how to prepare everything: Enjoy your healthy and flavourful wild greens with lemon and olive oil.
400g green walnuts (washed) 2 onions (roughly chopped) 2 garlic cloves (roughly chopped) 15g sea salt 600ml cider vinegar 2 mace blades 8 black peppercorns 4 whole cloves 100ml of mirin wine Roughly chop the onions and garlic. Add them with green walnuts and sea salt to a food processor. …
Home > Plants > Elder This unique elderberry pickle recipe is best served with cold vegetable dishes or cheese. Ingredients Spice Mix How to Make It Dissolve the salt in the water, then add the elderberries. Ferment for 14 days, then bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes, …
Eating Hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) is a bit of an unknown. There is nothing written about it in any of the currently published wild food books. However Marcus Harrison – the UK’s leading academic researcher into wild edible plants – mentioned to me that it had been eaten in Britain …
This week I’ve been collecting the ripe fruits of the Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo). The fruits look like strawberries, and if eaten directly from the tree, they have a curious texture. A few years back, I decided to make vinegar with the fruit. And every year since, I make a …
Ingredients 20g dried burdock root 20g dried dandelion root 800ml of spring water 50ml maple syrup 50ml sauerkraut brine starter Instructions Put the dandelion and burdock in a saucepan, add the water and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and allow it to cool, then strain …
One of the things I love about researching plants is having a damn good rummage through ancient manuscripts and cookery books scouting out long forgotten recipes. Two days ago I visited the Bodleian library in Oxford. Confined to the outside only, so not really a visit more a pinning for …
To make a syrup, snap off 500g of frozen berries and bring them to a gentle boil in a saucepan, then strain through a clean tea towel in a sieve into a bowl, squeezing the last of the pulp to extract around 400ml of juice. For every 200ml juice add …
Robin Harford takes you on a forage looking for nine wild greens to include in this Maundy Thursday soup. A contemporary take on a traditional Spring time soup. This recipe does not have any seasoning other than the a bit of salt and the flavours that naturally occur in the …
This recipe was inspired by a conversation with a reader called Rachel who spends half her time in Burma as a conflict analyst. If you’ve ever been to Burma you will have experienced the wide array of salads. One in particular is their pennywort salad called Min kwa yuet which …
I love Summer. The warm breeze on my face and body. The bees buzzing around. The spectrum of flowers. I take my daily walk either very early in the day or just as dusk is descending. It’s at this time the flowers show their true beauty. As I make my …
Home > Plants > Guelder rose For ages, I have been experimenting with making wild shrubs. A shrub is a cider vinegar drink popular in the 1920s during the prohibition period in the USA. However, its history goes back into the mists of time. In the 15th century, a shrub …
The delights of this super quick wild meadowsweet cordial recipe are worth trying. With Summer finally looking like it has arrived, my spirits pick up as I know that meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) is flowering. Culpepper tells us meadowsweet “makes a merry heart”. Something I can definitely attest to. I just perk up …
Home > Plants > Black mustard This black mustard soup recipe came about from wandering. Wandering carefree through the hedge. For a few days, I have been walking past black mustard (Brassica nigra). The delicate little flower buds gracefully adorning tender stems called out to me. “Use me like little …
Sowthistle is delicious. One of my favourite Springtime greens its texture is similar to little gem lettuces yet it has so much more flavour. I pull the leaf blades off the leaf-stalk and use those, along with the young tips in most of my sowthistle recipes. The raw leaf stalk …
This cow parsley recipe came about as a result of touching and crushing the young stalks. For years I have always wondered why Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) aka “wild chervil” is only used as a herb, with only the leaves being used in small amounts. This demotion to simply a …
This plant-based Oxeye daisy greens recipe is a variation of a dish you might find being sold by Vietnamese street food hawkers. A variation might be a bit of a push, it’s more like inspired by really. But who cares. The fact is it cooks tofu in a way that …
Quick and nourishing, this dandelion greens recipe worked really well. The maple syrup offsets any bitterness, and the Korean red pepper flakes add a “to die for” additional flavour. Red chilli flakes won’t work nearly as well! Dandelions are one of my go-to plants. Simply because when I want a …
This plant-based stinging nettle recipe was inspired by my love of Persian food. I love culture-blending. Whether it is food, ideas or some other creative exploit. If foraging has taught me one thing, it is that Nature thrives on diversity. Ingredients 300g stinging nettle tops (the first 6 leaves) 400ml …
Ingredients 2 tablespoons of Hikari koji miso (or another sweet miso) 100ml hot/boiled water 10 Edible magnolia flowers and/or buds. 1 tablespoon of olive oil Instructions Whisk the miso in with the hot water until it has thoroughly dissolved. Heat the olive oil, add the magnolia buds and very gently, …
Ingredients 200g tempeh 2 tablespoons miso 2 tablespoons sesame oil 2 tablespoons mirin 50ml boiling water 80g edible magnolia flowers Instructions Cube the tempeh and put in a food processor. Pulse until it looks minced. Transfer to a bowl. In a jar (with a lid) combine the hot water, miso, …
I love creating dressings and sauces with beans. They add a delicious flavour and texture. Not forgetting their nutritional value! This wild mustard sauce recipe turned out well and was divine. Well, according to my partner that is. Goes perfect with my Wild Garlic And Cauliflower Cakes recipe. I was originally going …
You can smell the wild garlic as you walk through the woods. The young tender wild garlic leaves are best, as they can get a bit tough as the plant matures into flower. Toasted rice powder is used a lot in Laos and Thailand where it is known as Khao …
With wild garlic sprouting forth at the moment, I wanted to experiment with using fermented juices from sauerkraut, kimchi etc. to see how they change the flavour profile of my wild food recipes. This is a simple, modest plant-based dish, but it turned out well. The cashew nuts add a …
Ingredients 30g fresh water pepper leaf and tips. 6 tablespoons of high quality mirin (most are full of junk chemicals). 6 tablespoons of Japanese rice vinegar. Instructions In a smoothie blender, or regular blender, blitz all the ingredients until they have become very smooth. Use drizzled over avocado or white …
I no longer recommend this plant be served to the public. This plant is not for beginners. Never eat raw. Always wear gloves when gathering. Please read these important Safety Notes. Hogweed seed spice is deliciously warming and is reminiscent of cardamon. I crafted this recipe and served the sweets …
Ingredients 1 or 2 tomatoes 1-2 tbsp. salad burnet leaves – young 1 small onion or shallot 1-2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt ½ tablespoon of olive oil Vinegar – a small splash Salt and pepper This salad can be served as one of a number of salad items, or on …
It’s hot. 1976 hot. Scorched grass. Withered plants. It’s times like this that the farmer gets twitchy. Images of dust-bowls and draught go through their mind. For the forager it’s different. We aren’t farmers. We don’t need to live in fear of scarcity. Of food running out. As foragers, we …
One of the most delicious wild greens is Sorrel (Rumex acetosa). Sorrel soup has been a traditional dish served since the Middle Ages. In Belarus and Poland, it is still popular as soup, yet in the British Isles it’s prominence has wained. Sorrel has a delicious tangy flavour, with one of …
Spring has finally sprung. And the young dandelions are bouncing out in bloom. It’s time to try your hand at this super simple dandelion salad recipe. It’s power packed with nourishment. Dandelion greens are extremely high in vitamins A, K, and beta carotene. They are also high in vitamins E, C, …
This kelp seaweed recipe just bursts with nutrition. The kelp seaweed most often used in British cooking is called Oarweed (Laminaria digitata), another common name it goes by is Tangle. It is very high in iron, iodine, bromine, phosphorus, boron, and zinc. Kelp seaweed also contains protein, sugar, starch, fat, …
Step 1 Gather some silver birch twigs. I use twigs between 1mm to 2mm thick. I used twigs picked from the ground, and they were pretty green (bendy). I didn’t cut them from the tree, but there’s no reason why you couldn’t. Snip them into small pieces. Usually no more …
Thank gawd for lacto-fermented probiotic foods! Having recently found myself in the hospital with what can only be described as ‘nuclear grade Domestos’ being intravenously shoved into my veins. I thought I’d share with you this delicious seaweed sauerkraut recipe I developed to offset the damage done to my poor …
The sun is shining. The wind is fresh. And there’s that inevitable feeling in one’s bones that Spring may well have finally sprung! Excitement seems to be going viral. Down here in deepest Devon folks spirits lift dramatically. You see it in everyone. Faces are beginning to smile again. Say hello …
Last week I went wandering to one of my favourite foraging patches. It’s by a river, and a haven for birds, critters and wild nibbly things. I was out shooting footage for a video on nettle. Not for myself, but for an online company that was offering a ‘wilderness date’ …
Recently I have been craving south east Asian food. And one dish in particular has been coming to mind. I even dreamt of it one night. Maybe its because at this time of year I am usually sitting in a forest somewhere in south-east Asia recording the local wild food …
It’s been a chilly old Winter this year, and I trust you have had lovely festivities over the past couple of weeks. Winter is an exciting time for me as a forager. While others bemoan the decline in wild edible plants, I, on the other hand, get all excited wondering …
I visited my local estuary the other day now devoid of tourists. The sound of the birds doing their thing that only birds do, the array of deep colours as the estuary falls into its Wintery sleep, the smell of salty air on the breeze and the crashing of the …
This weekend I wanted to make a coffee substitute, something that tasted ‘rich’. Something that I could ‘chew’ on. My shop bought coffee-alternatives include the likes of Whole Earth Nocaf, Barleycup etc. And when it comes to finding tasty “coffee” substitutes from the wild, I have always struggled with the …
There is an old Scottish proverb “Mony haws, Mony snows” meaning that an abundance of haws (hawthorn berries) will bring a severe winter. It will be interesting to see if this old folk belief pans out this year. I have a suspicion it will. While on a train to London …
Home > Plants > Guelder rose This Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) jelly recipe is quite simply divine. The plant is deciduous, and usually found in hedgerows, scrub and woodlands. It favours damp places and can be found along streams, but it also has the ability to thrive in quite dry spaces …
Home > Plants > Elder With Autumn definitely on its way, and the sun starts setting early, now is the perfect time to give you body a boost with this delicious, nourishing and health-boosting elixir. I’ve been making it for quite a few weeks using dried elderberries from last year …
Each year I literally swoon as I cup the cherry blossom flowers in my hand gazing at their mysterious beauty set against cloudless blue sky. And each year I promise myself to make a preserved cherry blossom recipe. Each year until this one I miss the window of opportunity. In …
The oldest recorded recipe in Britain according to the Centre for Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff is one for nettle pudding, consisting of not surprisingly nettle with barley. They claim it to be 8,000 years old! Taking this for inspiration I decided to create …
Gruel down the centuries gets a bad rap, courtesy of super snobs with their pretentious pontificating on what deems ‘good taste’. The phrase ‘food fascists’ comes to mind. Shamelessly inspired by a recipe from the 1600s, I have adapted it for the modern noble peasant. Food porn is great, and …
I first used potassium broths back in the mid-1980s when I was a student of Nature Cure. Potassium broths have been used for generations to help get through colds and alleviate the symptoms of flu, boost immunity, as well as build up the body to resist illness. They are deeply …
This Magnolia syrup recipe is beautiful, sensual and delicious. There are a number of different species of edible Magnolia flowers that you can use. Ask someone their recipe for making syrup, and you’ll get numerous different replies, each one claiming theirs is the best. So egos aside, this is the one …
I no longer recommend this plant be served to the public. This plant is not for beginners. Never eat raw. Always wear gloves when gathering. Please read these important Safety Notes. Young, furled hogweed shoots (Heracleum sphondylium) are the queen of wild vegetables. Gourmet doesn’t even come close to describe …
I love quick, wholesome wild food dishes, and if they have Asian flavours so much the better. This Thai style three cornered leek stir fry recipe really did the trick. It doesn’t require any noodles either. Tempeh is very filling and a fermented food. Tofu I find utterly tasteless, and …
Seaweed is highly nutritious and tasty as this kelp recipe will show, and something that we need to be eating daily as it is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and some say even anti-cancer. Kelp (Laminaria digitata) also known as oarweed or tangle, and in Japan as Kombu, is one of the most delicious and …
Wandering the fields and hedgerows, phone left at home. I sense a deep peace and freedom. Unplugged, my awareness stays present with the moment and the elements. Chancing upon a lovely patch of nettle in seed, I gather. Slowly. Methodically. Breathing. The simple act of gathering allows me to sink …
I love Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica), it has so many potential uses in drinks, savoury and dessert recipes. Recently I gathered some young nettle tips, new growth that had appeared after the council had done some recent strimming. Remembering the recipes I used to create when I was a raw …
Slipping and sliding over the rocks, I eventually hit the edge of the world. “Is it flat” I thought? Peering out to nothing but ocean. And thus began the start of this kelp recipe. I love kelp! I have it powdered in my daily breakfast smoothie. I add it to …
Smooth Sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) is cropping up everywhere at the moment. I skip out to my local patch to gather some of these tasty greens. Did you know that sowthistle contains as many antioxidants as blueberries! Yup, I just checked it out, they are an uber-superfood! Ingredients Suggested Instruction Serves: …
I’ve been pining to return to Laos recently. I left some good friends in the forest there, and I miss them. They taught me things about plants that I will never forget. Simple humble folk who knew the forest in such a deep, intimate way that I felt that I knew nothing. …
Rummaging around in my very empty fridge, I chanced upon some renegade potatoes. “What are you doing in there?” I asked quizzically. The reply was they made themselves lie beside the illustrious Sea Purslane (Atriplex portulacoides) because they thought they would be a nice fit. In a word a big …
I often refer to Sea Aster (Aster tripolium) as “Queen of Saltmarshes & Estuaries”. She is one of the most delicious wild greens out there. OK that’s Robin’s opinion, but whenever I serve her up the reaction is usually one of delight. Her flavour is one that must be experienced and …
Sea Purslane (Atriplex portulacoides) has a gorgeous, salty leaf with a nutty crunchiness to it. I remember about five years ago I took a young family down to the estuary, and one of the children who hadn’t eaten their greens in a couple of years, sat for 20 minutes chomping down …
Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) has always intrigued me. Her smell is heady and intoxicating, which is hardly surprising considering that she contains thujone, a psychotropic, although in very small quantities in Tansy. Thujone can be found in Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) which is found in high concentrations in absinthe, a drink that Van …
I’ve been meaning to make a Pendulus Sedge (Carex pendula) recipe, and while gathering the seeds which are so easy and quick to do, the idea for this Wild Gomasio sprung to mind. This is the result, and one I am glad I discovered. Use as a salt sprinkle replacement on eggs, …
Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) is one of my all-time favourite edible flowers. The plant bursts forth in great clusters of sweet-smelling lilac coloured flowers. The scent is exquisite. When I first started experimenting with Wisteria a few years ago I used the flowers in my salads and as a vinegar. …
Young sea aster (Aster tripolium) leaves are just coming up down at the estuary where I forage. I have a love affair with this plant. The leaves make for a delicious wild vegetable, and can be used in a multitude of ways as my previous sea aster recipes show. As …
Delicious Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) are budding forth as I write this. One of the most unique taste sensations in the hedge, I have a love affair with this plant that takes me into the realm of the sensuous. The leaves and leaf tips are extraordinary, but the Oxeye Daisy …
Sea Beet is young, tender and the precursor to chard and beetroot. With her earthy taste, and uber nutrition, Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris maritima) is one of my all time favourite wild edible greens. Barely a plant one could label as a weed, she sits preening herself down by the estuary, …
With an abundance of wild green in the hedgerow at the moment, I felt compelled by my bones to make a tasty spring time wild greens soup. Gathering an equal amount of cleavers, wood avens, dandelion, ramsons, lesser celandine, and ground elder I came up with this natty little wild greens …
I love Garlic Mustard aka Jack By The Hedge (Alliaria petiolata). Most of the wild food recipe books seem to concentrate on using the leaves and flowers. I like to focus on the vast amount of stems that seem to get overlooked. Here’s a quick Garlic Mustard recipe for those …
With the Wild Garlic aka Ramsons (Allium ursinum) filling the hedgerows at the moment, along with lovely Stinging Nettle tips (Urtica dioica) I was wondering how I could combine them to make something other than pesto or soup. Rummaging through my cupboards, I chanced on a few choice ingredients, and …
Being a rather full day, I wanted to rustle up a quick lunch, and on my way back from a meeting I gathered a few handfuls of young Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum) and Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) leaves. Thinking of how the French have traditionally served their dandelions, or Pissenlit as …
The Ground Elder (Aegopodium podagraria) with its shiny young leaves is beginning to wake up. I love her lemony, herby taste and having suddenly got into a “frying phase” having never really been a fan of fried foods (other than an occasional egg) I’ve been experimenting. Ground Elder traditionally goes …
Spying some pakoras in my local India delicatessen, I pondered on whether Wild Garlic/Ramsons (Allium ursinum) would work as a replacement to the usual spinach. After all, once steamed it does resemble spinach in texture. So using the remainder of the Wild Garlic that I had gathered along with about …
With buds appearing on the choice, young Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) I spend an afternoon gathering down near my local river. The sun is shining, the sky an azure blue, and the smell of Spring is finally in the air. My body sighs with delight as I relax into the land. …
Oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) is one of the most delicious and uniquely flavoured wild herb-vegetables that I use in the kitchen. Savoury, herby and all things delicious I chanced upon the idea for this recipe whilst mulling over how to make a tabbouleh without the usual bulgur wheat. Also, I …
It’s bitterly cold outside and I’m wandering around my local foraging area looking for something to gather. My body is wanting something with lots of garlic, and oil and fresh raw tomatoes. Not the usual foods one would necessarily want on a cold day, but as I am just getting …
It’s the end of January and I head out to forage, unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I don’t need to step any further than my garden. Not because I have some lush cultivated veggies to harvest, but because my garden is putting forth a ubiquitous …
Home > Plants > Rowan Although I am not a big consumer of sweets or deserts, I do have somewhat of a sweet tooth for Turkish Delight, in fact I find it deeply exotic. Recently I discovered some Rowan berries in my freezer, and pondered what I might do with …
Home > Plants > Black mustard Oh my gawd! When it comes to a simple black mustard recipe (Brassica nigra), then these ‘crisps’ are to die for. Sure beats the heck out of kale crisps! Ingredients Instructions Serves: They’re all mine!
This makes for a wonderful Wintertime Dandelion dressing recipe. Many assume that the best time to pick dandelion greens is in Spring (actually I find they have more bitterness then). Dandelion greens harvested in Autumn and Winter often have very low bitterness, even less than the chicory or radicchio that …
This fermented dulse recipe makes for a delicious, tangy ferment. With fermented foods all the rage at the moment, there is a good reason to start making them. They have the potential for improving your intestinal tract health, they enhance the immune system synthesising and enhancing the bioavailability of nutrients, as well …