There is no doubt that foraged food is on trend again in the UK. I’m seeing wild garlic ideas all over social media and the young nettle crop is proving popular too. But how readily available is it, how easy is it to find if you’re not an expert and is it really worth it?
I attended a day of foraging led by Monica Wilde of Napier’s in South East London. A most unlikely site for foraging you may ask but with Abbey Wood just on the doorstep Monica was certain we would find some good edibles.
The first and most ubiquitous plant we came across was indeed the nettle. Not only is this fantastic for pesto but Monica explained how it does wonders for hayfever if eaten early in the season. She also shared some toasted nettle seeds which smelled just like coffee and had a nutty, earthy flavour. To make them she drys the nettles once they have flowered and then shakes the seeds off onto some paper. She then uses them for salad toppings or sprinkling onto porridge.
We moved on to bittercress which comes from the same family as nasturtiums and watercress. It didn’t taste as peppery but like the chickweed and lesser calandine that was growing next to it, would be great for bulking up salads for free.
Like all of the above we found dandelion leaves everywhere. They are bitter but don’t be put off by that. Bitterness helps to dispel toxins and is almost nearly gone from our daily diets. The leaves can be eaten raw, and Monica suggested the young more tender leaves for this, or they can be blanched like spinach and added to soups, stir fries and tarts. Dandelion petals are also edible and can be made into a cordial or infused into honey or vinegar.
The next one was my favourite. Goosegrass. The funny sticky plant that we all have used to pat onto someone’s back when they aren’t looking. This does wonders for the lymphatic system and alleviates blockages. Monica suggested blitzing it into smoothies.
Deeper into the woods we found hedge garlic. This has a much more subtle taste than wild garlic but as there was so much of it everywhere, it would be perfect for pesto or soup.
We then were lucky enough to find Monica’s favourite – giant hogwood. This is one to be careful with because the sap of the plant can burn your skin when it reacts with sunlight. Monica suggested picking it when then leaves are closed but if in doubt, head for the shoots only. These are apparently delicious crisped up in butter.
Plants weren’t the only edibles we found. There are many trees that yield good eating. The hawthorn has edible leaves and flowers that have a marzipan like flavour. The birch tree has a sap that can be collected via a simple tapping device which can then be used as a sweet syrup.
We also saw wild carrot seeds, bramble buds and comfrey. All in abundance and all very easy to identify now that I had been shown.
I don’t think foraging on these plants alone would be sustainable but I was amazed how much there was to find in the woods. I’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for a little snack and salad when I’m next out at the allotment or in the woods near home.
Related articles
- A foraged vegetable cake for Easter (kelliesfoodtoglow.com)
- Nettle pesto by Monica Shaw (greatbritishchefs.com)
- Wild garlic pesto with walnut and truffle oil (franglaikitchen.com)
- Nettle risotto (hedgecombers.com)
Oh, you’ve been on one of Monica’s courses! So have I! I didn’t realised that she did them down your way (she and I are both in/near Edinburgh). Fantastic! She really gave me the foraging bug and now early spring is more than just a prelude to ‘proper’ crops and food but something to look forward to food-wise in its own right. I have had those hogweed buds cooked in butter btw – de.li.cious. Great primer you have written and depicted. Lovely!
Thanks Kellie. I’m more attuned to these plants now. My girls think I’m totally bonkers snacking on leaves in the woods!
interesting read! I’ve always wanted to go foraging.. especially for mushrooms.
Mushrooms in the wild scare me. Have heard so many horror stories! The only ones I found was on a similar trip with Toby Gritten in Bristol
This is great, thanks for sharing! I’ve been giving it a bit of a go but would love to go on a day like this
If you follow Monica on Twitter I’m sure she’ll advise the next time she’s doing these and where. She’s Edinburgh based
I love wild garlic and we are fortunate enough to have a few leaves in our garden and our neighbour lets us pick his too! Hedge garlic is nice raw, but loses its garlicky flavour when cooked… a good spinach alternative though. I had no idea hogweed is edible. Nonetheless, I won’t risk picking any as we are warned how it can cause horrible allergic reactions. I will have to try goosegrass. It smells good, so I think I’d like it, and we have plenty! 😉 Really enjoyed this post Urvashi. Thanks for sharing!
I must admit the hedge garlic is my favourite. Such an easy one to find and so pretty too
What interesting plants! I’m excited for this season!
Me too. Love Spring
This link makes interesting reading with respect to wild garlic: http://blog.riverford.co.uk/2015/03/20/guys-newsletter-wild-garlic-potato-patience/
thank you
Ooooh, that sounds like an interesting course and thanks so much for sharing one of my recipes 🙂
Janie x