Alexanders has been used as food and medicine since Roman times and was once known as the parsley of Alexandria. Below you’ll learn how this forgotten kitchen garden herb was cultivated for centuries until it was replaced by celery. Once popular in ancient kitchen gardens now thrives in abundance by the sea. It was cultivated for … Read more
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. Winter finally feels put to … Read more
Slipping down to the coast early morning, I harvest the young autumnal alexanders stems. They are so young that I simply lift them out from the earth, beautiful blanched sweet stems ready for some simple cooking. Ingredients 3 handfuls of chopped alexanders stems (leaves removed) 2 large knobs of butter & a glug of olive … Read more
There’s such a glut of Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) at the moment – yes even in mid-January – and I have always wanted to turn it into chutney, so putting on my thinking cap I went to work to create this gorgeous Alexanders recipe. Alexanders Chutney Recipe Ingredients 500g alexanders stems (chopped) 3 x onions (chopped) … Read more
Brined Alexanders? Sounds really weird… all that salt etc. But not so, because this Alexanders recipe turned out a treat. Let the Alexanders sit in the cupboard for a couple of months before using. I make wild relishes with them. Ingredients Young pre-flowering Alexanders stems (chopped) Salt Water Suggested Instructions Blanch the Alexanders in 1tbsp … Read more
Nipplewort is a tasty wild edible green that stands up to frost and cold. In this Nipplewort recipe, I have combined it with the stems of Alexanders to produce a rich, scrummy cheesy pasta dish. Nipplewort Recipe Ingredients 200g Nipplewort greens (chopped) 200g Alexanders stems (chopped) 200g Penne pasta 200g Creme fraiche 175g Gorgonzola or … Read more
Alexanders leaf makes a great cooked edible green, and there is a vast abundance of it at the moment. In this Alexanders recipe, I decided to play around with making a curry using a korma paste, although I omitted the yoghurt, cream, or coconut milk. A simple dish, that’s quick to make and would go … Read more
This quick and easy Alexanders recipe makes a wonderful wild tapas. Spicy tomatoes combine well with the myrrh like flavour of Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum). Spicy Alexanders Recipe Ingredients 4 handfuls of chopped Alexanders stems ½ onion (chopped) 3 cloves of garlic (sliced) 200g chopped tomatoes 2tsps Dijon mustard 6 drops of Tabasco sauce ½ tsp … Read more
The stems of the Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) goes really well with the cheese and potato filling. You can either make your own flaky pastry, I use 200g strong plain flour to 150g butter; or buy one ready-made, but do try to ensure it is made with butter. Shaping the pasties this way means there is … Read more
Pickled Buds of Alexanders Recipe – Alexanders buds have a heavily-scented flavour, unlike anything you have most probably tried. Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) are an ancient food source that goes back to Roman Times, and this is one of those recipes that you either love or it doesn’t do much for you. Personally, I love pickled … Read more
The young growth of Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum) are just beginning to emerge, and now is the time to don your wellies and hunt out this delicious Springtime green. The shoots are a little young at the moment but are still worth going out and foraging for. Ideally, you need to be finding the reddish young … Read more