coastline wanderings As of late I haven’t been much to our coastline, Ive tended to wandering in the forestry and the peace that comes with gurgling streams of flowing water, I love the peace and solace it brings me.
I decided id take a stroll on a beach on day because why not, off with the shoes and the socks down along the waters edge, kicking the top of the water, watching it fly off in front of me. I know I may sound like a child, when I say this, but I don’t care I’m big enough to not care. I like watching the water spread in all directions and the film of water it creates as well as the drops that fall at the end. I mean so what if I get wet, that’s why we have washing machines. Now silliquoy aside, I’m a forager I like to think I am anyway, picking free edible food, from coastline, hedgerow and forestry alike, I spotted some varieties of samphire that I knew I didn’t have in my freezer for later in the year so I picked some after my walk. I picked some rock samphire and some sea blight, both sea salty fresh, crunchy, and a beautiful addition to any stir-fry, or fish dish or chowder, or mussels or prawns the possibilities are endless if it’s from the sea, samphire will work with it. (In my opinion). Alongside both of these, beach mustard starting to seed, as you could guess mustard flavour with a salty hint. No, I’m not making a mustard from them I’m was just admiring them, had to try them. There is a multitude of other herbs and sea veg sprouting at the moment, or coming into season. So on the coast keep an eye on the rocks or the dunes. As always stay safe and you can follow my adventures @chefpaulc on all social media platforms.Tag: Forage
Foraging sea greens
Sea greens
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Sea greens
Now that the winter is well on its way most of my summer greens have gone to sleep until late spring so I now have new greens in natures vegetable stores.
The hardier of the sea vegetables are coming out to grace our plates. One of these is back for the second time this year all be it in a different form instead of growing up it grows out to resemble a young cabbage patch without the slugs and snails. Scurvy grass is now carpeting an area that was once covered in samphire and sea grass
Oyster leaf is coming to the end with the last few leaves withering away another variety of samphire takes its place
All of these greens are rich in natural salts minerals and vitamins which are lacking in the majority of peoples diets today.
You can pay for supplements and get more chemically engineered minerals or you can take a drive or a walk if close enough to the nearest beach there is always something to be picked and it’s free just add to a pan with a small bit of butter and gently wilt it or add to white sauce to add a natural saltiness or even mix it through with some salad leaves dress with lemon juice and cracked black pepper.
An added bonus to these greens for the health conscious amongst us there is no added insecticide, pesticides or weed killers no growth hormones, all natural and basically calorie free they really are (sorry Sid) nourish by nature.
Follow my adventures on Instagram @chefpaulc for what to look for and eat on our coastline pantry thanks also to my fiancée jenny for the artwork follow on Instagram @wattonarts
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