Foraging - Natures Food

Laura_D_3

Anyone know what I can forage for in Feb/ March?

Trinny

Hello All

I am in the process of making my first batch of Nettle Beer - HFW recipe;)

The dandelions are out - and nature is kicking into gear.

What recipes do you make from foraged food each year?

Thanks

Trin

Alison_Funnell

I'm a fair weather forager - blackberries, sloes, bullace, the occasional plums. So I am shall be keeping an eye on this thread. Sadly I am the usual jam, cooked/raw fruit and liquer sort of person so I haven't any great ideas.

hollydays

There is a book by collins called food for free £4.99,
www.bookarmy.co.uk
it has recipes there
if anyone wants anything specific,I will look,or pm me in case i miss theposts.

caitybabes

Ooh that is very exciting. The only thing I've ever foraged is blackberries for jam so I, too, will be keeping an eye on this thread.

Has anyone ever made nettle soup or nettle tea? My parents can remember their parents making nettle soup when they were younger but I've never tried it. I love nettle tea from teabags and wondered if it's ever better from fresh leaves?

Also, do you use rubber gloves when picking nettles?

Thanks,

Cait

Pink.

Hi Trinny,

There are lots of recipes and links that may help on this thread:

Foraging - Natures Food

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the suggestions together.

caitybabes, this is my recipe for nettle soup:

1 medium to large onion
A little oil and butter for frying the onion
40-50 nettle tops (leaves stripped from stalks)
1 litre of home made stock (or 2-3 stock cubes dissolved in water)
3 floury potatoes (peeled and chopped)
dollop of sour cream
chopped chillies

Pick nettle leaves somewhere dog walkers don't frequent! Wash the leaves and shake to dry.

Fry the onion gently in the oil and butter. Add the nettle leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the stock, bring to the boil then add the potatoes and simmer until they are cooked.

Liquidise with a stick blender until smooth.

Check seasoning and serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chillies.

There are more nettle recipes in this thread: Nettle recipes- Food from the wild.

Pink

star2007

I made some wild garlic pesto the other day... pick a handful of wild garlic/ ramsoms (they have white flowers which are coming out, and you'll deffo smell them before you see them... Still check out pics in a wild food book first tho')

Add the leaves to a mini blender with a handful of pinenuts or walnuts, pinch of salt, good glug of olive oil and a small squeeze of lemon juice, and give it a good blitz. Stir into cooked pasta... delish!

Besides the free wild garlic, the walnuts only cost me 8p in the post-christmas sale at Sainsbury's, the pasta was 9p value penne... rustic-gourmet food for pennies :cool:

imogen-p

In the past (when I lived in the county) I used to get Blackberries, bullas, elderberries and elder flowers, hazelnuts, rosehips, sloes, crab apples and rowan berries.
Most got turned into jam or jelly, fruit pies/crumbles. Hazel nuts just got eaten as they were, and the rosehips turned into syrup.

Having moved to the city best part of 12 year ago I pick a lot less, although now I've got an allotment with a nice supply of nettles and brambles, so I'll be using those. Hopefully this summer/autumn when DS is a little older I'll be able to take him foraging like my mum did when I was small. Attempted last year but pram and footpaths didn't mix

Rosehip syrup/cordial is the one I'm going to start again this year, as I used to really like the taste and it so full of vit C I've found it good in the winter for colds.

song_of_calliope

I love making elderflower champagne. Near me, the best source of the elderflowers is the Tesco carpark. I definitely get some funny looks when collecting them and my partner refuses to come with me due to the embarrassment factor, but I think it's great to be getting something from Tesco for free considering how much I spend there over the year.

There are loads of recipes online but basically you steep the elderflowers in some water with sugar and lemon juice for a couple of days. If it gets fizzy on its own, great, it means there is enough yeast in the air for some to fall into your mixture and fizz it up. If not add a pinch of yeast. Then strain it and put it into plastic bottles. Yes, glass bottles look nicer but they can explode from the pressure when the fizz builds up! Delicious and really fun to take to a casual dinner party or serve to guests.

moonpixiewitch

things I make from foraged food:
elderberry syrup - which I take almost daily in the winter and have not had a cold or flu since doing so
rosehip syrup - great mixed with sparkling wine or poured over ice cream , also i substitute this for the elderberry syrup if I run out
crab apple jelly
quince jelly
quince cheese
hedgerow / wild fruit jam - damsons, sloes, blackberries, crab apples, rosehips and hawberries

damsons and crab apples also get added to chutneys

I also make chilli damson sauce

sloe gin, damson vodka , damson bacardi , blackberry brandy .

I don't do elderflower anything as I can't stand the taste of elderflowers . too many dogs round here to even consider nettle picking !

Things I would like to try and make this year - sea buckthorn juice , sea buckthorn oil .