Cow Parsley - childhood memories

I was driving home from shopping this morning and taking a short cut down a narrow country lane when I decided to stop and look around at some of the beautiful blossoms and flowers on show in our hedgerows. There were a few common ones like the white as well as the pink hawthorn, buttercups, red campion and of course cow parsley as well as others which I don't know the names of and will research to identify them.

It seems that cow parsley has different names in different parts of the country. Apparently it is called cow mumbles in Suffolk and in Rutland where I grew up we called it Kek. But I think the most elegant version of its name is Queen Anne's Lace. When I was a child living in the countryside it used to grow in abundance and I remember it used to seem like it grew so tall. When the flowers died off and the stem was all brittle and dry, once we realised they were hollow we used to snap them off and use them as peashooters, though you had to make sure they were not home to earwigs or another insects first. I suppose people have the perception that it is just a weed but when you actually stop and look at the delicate flowers you see a beauty that you have never noticed before. I have included a couple of pictures I took today, and you will be surprised to see that the collective flower heads almost look like a snowflake formation and the closeup shows the detail in each petal that we just brush past as something we have seen a hundred times over. I must admit I was surprised at how pretty cow parsley truly is and no wonder that it is used by some florists as a filler in their arrangements.

Apparently in years gone by it has been use as a contraceptive and other treatments and there are recipes for pickling the stems or using the leaves and flowers. However, i am not going to include one this time as you need to very careful and be 100% sure that you are dealing with cow parsley rather that it's two similar companions hemlock, which is very poisonous and fools parsley which is also poisonous.

So this time I shall give the free food option a wide berth and just admire its delicate beauty instead.

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

Closeup of Cow Parsley

Snowflake like formation of Cow Parsley

Hawthorn Flowers makes cordial

It is amazing that once you start to go out with the intention to gather and forage, a normal walk in the countryside or woods or even to school can soon become an exciting journey of discovery as you start to look at all the flowers and plants around you to identify which can be used to create something delicious.

You have to be sure that what you are looking for is easily identifiable and indeed edible and ok to gather, being careful not to select the wrong thing as some plants, flowers, berries are poisonous, so be careful that enthusiasm for free food doesn't lead you into making a mistake.

But of course everyone recognises the hawthorn which is often called the mayflower. This beautiful bush / tree transforms from a knarled thorny hard tree into an explosion of green leaves in spring and then a beautiful display of white and pink tinged blossoms in May. Then in the autumn the different crimson shades of the haw festoon the branches to provide food as well as shelter for the birds. Haw comes from the old word for hedge as this tree was often used to provide barriers as far back as roman times. It is steeped in folklore and is seen as sacred by some. It is traditionally associated with May Day and is a symbol of fertility, love, hope and of course spring.

There has been alot of recent medical research into the use of Hawthorn in treating mild heart conditions and high blood pressure and it has been proven that the flowers and leaves are high in antioxidants. So there are many benefits to this plant as well as its beautiful appearance in Spring / Summer.

I have heard older folk talk about munching on the young tender leaves of the hawthorn when they were younger to help fill their bellies and it is often referred to as bread and cheese. The young shoots of the leaves have been used as part of a salad in times gone by as well. I did actually try one the other day and I have to confess I didn't think they tasted anything like bread or cheese ;0)

Around this time of year I get impatient for the end of May to arrive and the arrival of the elderflower as I just love making and drinking that delicious elderflower cordial with its intoxicating aroma as you pick the flowers. I was reading an old book about cordials and wines and to my surprise you can make a similar cordial from Hawthorn Flowers so I am going to adapt my existing recipe and experiment with hawthorn as I wait for the elderflower season. I am intrigued to see what it will taste like so think I will definitely be out in the next couple of days gathering this lovely blossom and giving it a try!

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

White Hawthorn Flowers

Closeup of the pink tinged Hawthorn Flowers

Nettles - make a beer!

Now this humble plant may put alot of people off, me included as all you think about is the nasty sting you get from them but after recently harvesting some wild garlic in the woods I've been looking at the nettle in a different light this year.

Being a gardener they drive me crackers when clearing them but having said that they grow in abundance elsewhere and are a very versatile and edible plant so it would be too good an opportunity to pass up for free wild food.

Although this plant is called a weed by many, the Greeks and Romans used it as a medicinal herb to treat many ailments. Nettles are a great source of protein, as well as containing high amounts of vitamins A, B and C as well as potassium, zinc, iron and calcium. Nettles also contain serotonin and histamine which means they have additional health benefits. They are a diuretic so are used in detox and cleansing diets. As with anything if you are on medication then please check with your GP and research the internet before adding any wild foods or herbs to your diet in case they react with what you have been prescribed.

Cooking, steaming or drying removes the stinging properties of the leaves but in the meantime wear thick rubber gloves to gather the young leaves from the top few centimetres of the plant, as the lower leaves are too tough to use. I have a plan to hold the tops with tongs then snip off the stalks and place in a bag ready to tip into the stock pot :)

Apparently they wilt just like spinach so can be steamed or boiled to remove the sting and then added as an ingredient for a meal. I quite like risotto so I am looking forward to adding them to that but maybe a more popular way of transforming this amazing plant would be as a nettle beer which I have heard is very good! After some research this seems to be the simplest method.

Nettle Beer Recipe

1 carrier bag full of young nettle tops ( roughly 1lb)

1lb 5oz sugar

1 lemon

1 tablespoon cream of tartar

1 sachet of yeast

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

7 pints / 4 litres of water

Put the nettles in a large pan along with the juice and rind of the lemon, the ground ginger and water. Simmer for about 30minutes then cool a little before straining.

Add the sugar and cream of tartar and heat gently until all of the sugar has dissolved.

When it has cooled slightly pour into a brew bin and top up with cold water to make the gallon / 4.5 litres. Leave until it has cooled further to about 20c then add the yeast.

Place the brew bin in a warm place for 3-4 days then skim off any froth before pouring it into sterilised bottles. Leave for at least 7 days and be careful to check the pressure build up. chill and drink

Very quick brewing and it sounds delicious and very tempted to try it if I can get hold of a gallon brew bin and bottles :)

There are no end of nettle recipes to try or you may have fun adapting your own recipes by substituting the nettles. I for one will be looking at different ways of making the most of this free resource.

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

The Humble Nettle

More Wild Garlic - how about garlic butter?

Well the pesto has been a real hit and we can't seem to keep away from it and even better is that the health benefits of eating it are great too. Though keep some fresh parsley to chew to neutralise the garlic odour and aftertaste. I have attached a picture i took today of a sample of the pesto I made yesterday so you can see the great texture and the amazing vibrant green colour. So different from normal pesto made with basil, this has such a fresh and deliciously moreish taste, and as tonight has proved it is great with roast chicken too :)

As its Latin name Allium ursinum suggests, wild garlic has many properties similar to those that domestic garlic contains. The allyl sulfide has vitamins A and C, essential oil complex, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, copper, as well as adenosine (which is a substance that helps reduce cholesterol and preventing thrombus formation).

It is known to help people with their digestive problems, high blood pressure, respiratory complaints and of course cleansing the blood. I'm looking forward to reaping the many benefits in the following months and have been thinking of other ways to use the leaves. I will definitely make some more pesto and freeze portions of it so I can enjoy it later in the year after the leaves have wilted as they do in late summer.

I am going to purée some of the leaves and mix it thoroughly with softened butter to make a beautiful green mild garlic butter, rolled into a sausage shape and when hardened in the freezer for a few minutes you can cut off round slices to freeze in little portions to use in future recipes or just spreading on some French bread to make a homemade garlic bread accompaniment. Just included a picture of the gorgeous wild garlic butter slices I have made and wrapped in foil to freeze, yum :)

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

Wild Garlic Butter

Wild Garlic Pesto

Wild Garlic makes a delicious pesto

We were having a wonderful ramble with the family through some local woods the other week, admiring the bluebells when we came across a small river and the unmistakeable scent of wild garlic wafted by as we saw a carpet of white flowers growing nearby.

When we got home I looked on the Internet and found that you could use the wild garlic to make a soup or a delicious pesto. So as a lovely way to enjoy the recent sunny weather we went back to the same spot today to have a picnic and to pick some of the leaves and flowers to use in recipes at home. The photos i took today show the beautiful white flowers of the wild garlic (allium ursinum). It typically grows in woodland, usually near to bluebells or rivers and streams as they like the semi shady areas with the moist conditions. It grows from spring time to summer and in May it produces lovely delicate white flowers. The leaves are a long oval shape and these are edible and can be picked along with the more pungent flowers, both the leaves and flowers can be eaten raw in salads, pesto or cooked in soups etc. The wild garlic has a much milder flavour than domestic garlic.

When you are foraging please do so responsibly, do not pick from nature reserves and please do not trample other species in woodlands. If you are picking elsewhere in the countryside then please make sure you do so with the landowners permission.

When we got home this afternoon I immediately set to making this wonderfully fresh Wild Garlic Pesto which we used to make a delicious meal of pasta this evening. The aroma is wonderful and the pesto has such a delicious fresh taste and is a vibrant green and when mixed with pasta it adds a mild garlic flavour which made a delightful meal and was very moreish.

Wild Garlic Pesto Recipe

100g / 50 - 60 wild garlic leaves
5 wild garlic flower heads
200mls Olive Oil
60g walnut halves
60g finely chopped shallots
60g your favourite hard cheese
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

You can prepare the ingredients in either a food blender or i just used a hand blender and large jug. You will also need a jar or other sealable container to store the pesto in. This made a large jar and can be stored in the fridge for several weeks or frozen in smaller portions.

Lightly wash the leaves and pat dry, place them in the blender / jug along with the shallots, walnuts and only 160mls of the olive oil.

You can substitute the shallots for spring onions if you wish or the walnuts for pine nuts.

Blend until everything is finely chopped then put into a bowl (if using a food blender) and stir in the finely grated cheese, salt, sugar and black pepper to your taste. Usually Parmesan cheese is used in pesto but you can use any of your favourite hard cheese, I just used a mature cheddar.

Fill the jar with the pesto to only three quarters full, remove air pockets by pushing down with a spoon and cover the top of the pesto with the remainder of the olive oil to seal the surface then screw on the lid. Must be kept in the fridge, each time you use some, stir it well first and make sure you cover the remaining pesto with oil again to preserve it for longer.

The pesto can be mixed into pasta, spread on crusty bread or added into soups or stews to add a background flavour. A jar of this would make a wonderful gift too.

There are many other recipes that you can make with wild garlic such as a delicious nettle and wild garlic soup so do browse the Internet and try a few recipes if you can find some in a woodland near you as this really is a delicious accompaniment to any dish.

If you would like to learn more about my exploits foraging for free wild food and the recipes I have cooked with my herbs and grow your own then please have a look at some of my other posts :)

Wild Garlic in flower