Back in the 16th and 17th century Rock Samphire pickle was eaten regularly.
These days it’s virtually unheard of thanks to the boring, puritan Victorians who deemed it unworthy as a foodstuff.
Personally I love it and eat it mixed into brown rice or millet with a dash of tamari as a nourishing snack. Goes very well with cold meat and cheese, and also pate and toast.
Ingredients
- 500g rock samphire
- 5 echalion shallots
- 500ml white wine vinegar
- 450g granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp black mustard seeds
- 1 tsp ground mace
Method
- Remove Rock Samphire leaflets from main stems, and thinly slice the echalion shallots.
- Put the leaflets and shallots in cold salted water for 30 minutes. Make sure they are submerged.
- Put Rock Samphire and shallots in a saucepan and cover with water, then bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and cool. The spoon into sterilised jam jars.
- Now put white wine vinegar, sugar and spices into a saucepan and stir over a medium heat until sugar has completely dissolved. Pour into jars and cap.
- Leave for at minimum a month, and preferably three. However one jar of mine didn’t last 24 hours and still tasted fantastic.