Jack by the hedge pesto with cream cheese

Jack pesto with cream cheese


It's free...it's delicious...and it is everywhere at the moment.

© Fig.1.L.Moore 'Jack by the hedge pesto with cream cheese'

This is so versatile and can be used in a number of ways. It can be used in pasta to turn the ordinary into extraordinary.You can put it on toast with some cheese...yum, it can be added to a pot of lovely new potatoes, plonked on a cracker, added to your favorite sandwich and more. I love Jack by the hedge (or commonly called garlic mustard). Next time you go walking have a look around. At the moment there is a lot of it about and it is quite easy to recognize. If you think you have spotted crush the leaves between your fingers. You can't mistake the lovely garlic/mustard smell. Of course if in doubt then leave it out.

You will find this garlic mustard in field margins, road verges, hedges, river and stream banks, edges of woods and ditches. This is a native biennial. First year growth have long stalked cordate (heart shaped) leaves with regular saw-like teeth and a crinkly looking network of veins. The main stem that appears in the spring of the second year has paler green nettle like leaves. It grows tall and thin like nettles. The leaves have the distinct smell of garlic when crushed. Small white flowers (6 mm wide) appear in clusters from mid April;seed pods are long, up to 60 mm, and 2 - 3 mm thick curving out from the stem.

It is a slightly bitter plant and needs to be mixed with ingredients that accompany such as fatty meats and salt fish. However I love it mixed with a number of ingredients such as goats cheese and nettle pasta or pirogi, and/or mushroom and salmon pirogi...yum. My Polish friend taught me how to make pirogi and it's stunning in a lot of my recipes.

You can eat the leaves sparingly in salads and sandwiches, add to risottos and the flowers are also a delightful ingredient in garnishes salads. This is one of my favorite free wild edibles which you can't get in a supermarket. I have used the roots grated which is amazing and similar to horseradish mixed with yogurt and served with beef.You can even use the green seed pods as spices and use as you would as mustard seeds.

Get out and find Jack...you will be amazed and so proud of your find. Share the love with this stunning wild edible. When I first came across 'Jack' I can't tell you how liberating it was. I was taking a walk one day along a common pathway I use everyday. I looked down and thought 'that looks like Jack'. I gave it a crush between my fingers and got the unmistakable whiff. OMG I could not believe my luck. It was one of my first finds and I wanted to share it with the world. Yep I nearly shoved it up a strangers nose but I contained my excitement and shared it with my partners nose instead when I got home. Now I see it everywhere and I am sharing it with you.

If you have any 'Jack' recipes to share then please contact me I would love to hear about your experiments.

Jack pesto with cream cheese

1 handful of lightly toasted pine nuts
3 handfuls of Jack
3 cloves of garlic
1 handful of grated parmesan cheese
a few glugs of olive oil (to your taste and consistency)
black pepper
salt to taste
2 tbs lime juice
2-3 tablespoons of Philadelphia cheese (or any of your choice)

Place all ingredients into a bowl and blitz with your hand held blender or machine. It will keep longer in the fridge if you pour some olive oil over the top of it. Enjoy this with anything or as you would any pesto. I tried mine with pirogi filled with goats cheese and nettles and smoked salmon and mushroom pirogi. The photographs you see are taken when I tried this pesto with roasted butternut squash. For me the squash was too sweet with Jack but as with all my recipes you can experiment with this strong flavored pesto.

© Fig.2.L.Moore close up of Jack by the hedge

© Fig.3. L.Moore 'Jack pesto'

© Fig.4. L.Moore Pirogi with jack pesto  

 Source
Irving, M. (2009) The Forager Handbook: A Guide to the Edible Plants of Britain, Ebury Press,  pp, 76-77

© Fig.5. L.Moore an young Jack to scale with a ten pence piece 

    

Dulse pesto

Dulse Pesto

L.Moore. Fig 1. Dulse pesto

Where has March gone?

The day's have flown and here we are  at the latter end of the month and Easter is upon us. Let's celebrate spring. Such an exciting season full of edible wonders. I have not had chance to forage much so far this month. However I do pluck some amazing chickweed, hairy bittercress and wood sorrel on my way to the local shop and make a yummy salad with it. At least three time this month I have chomped on this lovely salad with this amazing seashore pesto and courgette ribbons...a winner every time. I am so excited about Spring and I can't wait to bag me a load of wild garlic...it is to die for. In fact I am going away for the Easter weekend (glamping) LOL. This is all new to me but I am sooooo looking forward to it. It will be out in the country among a wild wood and streams so I can hopefully anticipate some fantastic edibles.

Me and my partner went to Cornwall in December last year because we heard the fish is so fresh you are eating it not long after it has been caught. Yes we are right foodies so we will travel a fair distance to tantalize our taste buds. We stayed in a beach residence really close to the beach. From our window we coukld see the tide coming in and out with a truly superb moonlit sky.  I managed to drag my partner out of bed in the morning to scour the rocks, sands and shallow waters for seaweed. We came bag with a bucket load which is now hanging up in my back room all dried out. I can use it anytime in a variety of wonderful ways. Dulse is the red seaweed and it is so versatile. I crush it up and add it to my rock salt in my recipies. I also use it in my broths, stews and casseroles. But recently I made this Dulse wonder and overdosed on it for three consecutive days.

Fig. 2. L.Moore Dulse pesto with Basil & Parmesan Cheese

Fig.3. L.Moore, as above

Fig.4.L.Moore, as above

Fig.5.L.Moore, Dulse pesto

Fig.6. L.Moore Dulse Pesto

Fig.7.L.Moore Dulse Pesto on crackers 

Dulse Pesto

In a bowl add the following ingredients and mix together with a hand blender. Add the grated Parmesan cheese last and stir it in with a spoon. You can change the consistency by adding more oil, more cheese etc.
To hydrate your dried Dulse put it in a heatproof  bowl (or cup) and add boiling water and stand for 15 minutes. Then add to your ingredients. You can experiment with these ingredients perhaps replacing the pine nuts with other nuts or herbs.

I tried this on crackers with some goats cheese and it was delicious. I also used it in a stir fry with my courgette  ribbons. I made my ribbons. I then Fried garlic with coconut oil and added my pesto. Then I added some Kale and stirred for a few minutes. Then I added my ribbons for a minute and squeezed some lemon through my stir fry. I plated up and added some grated parmesan. Boy it was delicious. I should have taken a photograph.  

25g pine nuts
4-5 cloves of garlic
15g basil
15g parsley
50g of hydrated dulse seaweed
10tbs of good quality olive oil
1 tsp of dried chilli flakes
2 tbs lime juice
a handful of grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Identifying Dulse also known as Dillisk

Dulse is a dark reddish brown. It has leathery thin, flat fronds that are divided into lobes about 30mm wide and up to 1m long.You can find Dulse on the beach around the British Isles but absent from the less rocky coasts of Eastern England. It resides above and below the low tidemark, on rocks but also on the stripes of the cuvie Laminaria hyperborea. I live in south eastern england and I am a fair distance from any coasline. I got my Dulse in Cornwall during December last year while I was away for the weekend. I bagged quite a lot to last me until my next coastal visit. Other red seaweeds such as Carrageen is usually found in toothpaste, ice cream, milkshakes, and processed foods due to it's gelatinous quality that functions as a thickener, stabilizer, and setting agent. Dulse is also fab for drying out. I hang mine up in the shower to dry off...a bit of a shock for any visitor LOL. It is also great to grind and/or use as flakes and add it to your salt.

So next time your at the beach have a scour for Dulse you will be surprised what you find. Us Brits don't make the most of our coastlines. Our coastlines are a haven for the sea forager. The nurtional benefits of Dulse is amazing. I have included a link so you can have a look at the nutritional benefits of Dulse. It has a lot of Iodine & Potassium and vitamin E, IU, Vitamin A, IU, Vitamin B1 ,B2 ,B6, B12 mg and vitamin C.

Fig 8. L.Moore Dulse soaking in my sink 

Fig.9.L.Moore More Dulse in my sink

Source material
 Irving, M. (2009) The Foragers Handbook: A Guide To The Edible Plants Of Britain ,Ebury Press,  pp.369-370
https://www.seaveg.com/shop/index.php?main_page=page&id=15&chapter=5




    

Goosegrass/sticky-willy Pesto

                                                 Goosegrass/sticky-willy pesto

Fig.1. L. Moore Goosegrass Pesto

Who would have thought that green stuff that sticks to your clothes like Velcro could be amazing for the body and above all free and edible. Well it's about right now in our towns and cities, gardens, waste-ground etc... it's young and at it's best so get plucking. This plant is also known as 'sticky-willy', 'cleavers' and 'scratch tongue' (I know it doesn't sound great but believe me it's not bad at all). The young shoots can be used in salads and all of the plant can be used in soups, ointments for the skin and juicing. Eat the stems while young before the plant sets seed and become tough. There is no time like the present so give it a go. Let's go and get some 'sticky-willy' and be creative. If your bored and need a reason to get out and about then 'go-seek and find' ... YaY.

Honestly there is nothing better than finding a free edible and rushing home and experimenting with it. I came home with a small bag of the stuff and made this lovely pesto ...Ta Dah. Then my entire meal was designed around my new creation. As it was pancake Tuesday this week my partner and I went overboard with making pancake mix and we have had pancakes all week. Needless to say I had my pesto spread onto a pancake with oven baked chicken breast and lashings of cheddar cheese ...oh yes it was yummy. Terrible for the midriff but hey ho it's only once a year (the pancakes that is). I can think of many ways of using this pesto with the obvious pasta, on toast with a variety of toppings, adding it to risottos and perhaps toppings for soup with a bit of cream. mmmm... My only criticism of my recipe was I put too much salt in it so I had to use it sparingly. But we all live and learn and I'll know better next time.

Goosegrass/sticky-willy Pesto

4 cups of goosegrass (or half carrier bag)
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbs pine nuts
3 tbs grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp lime juice
salt to taste
add olive oil as you mix ingredients

Wash your goosegrass in the sink with a little salt to get rid of any bugs and/or dog bacteria. Pat the goosegrass dry and place in a bowl or blender. Add the remaining ingredients and blend all together. Add the olive oil  bit by bit until it is the right consistency and enjoy. You need quite a lot of goosegrass. The image I have put on this blog is half a jar made from 3 cupful's of goosegrass. As with all my recipes experiment and explore with your new wild edibles and have fun. Also if you are unsure about what you have picked remember 'if in doubt then leave it out'. Be certain of what you have.

Fig.2. L.Moore Goosegrass/sticky-willy pesto

Fig.3. L. Moore goosegrass growing down a path

Fig.4. L. Moore A close up of goosegrass

According to the book Hedgerow Medicine, Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies, by Julie Bruton & Mathew Seal (2008) cleavers (goosegrass) 'promotes the lymphatic flow and helps rid the lymphatic system of metabolic waste. In effect, it is like a pipe cleaner for our lymph vessels' (2008, p.31). Cleavers are understood as a useful remedy for swollen glands, tonsillitis, and adenoid problems and earache. Because of it's effect on the lymph system cleavers enjoy a reputation for helping to shrink tumors, both benign and cancerous, and for removing nodular growths on the skin. Other benefits include promoting the flow of urine and soothes irritation of the urinary tract. It relives the scalding pain on urination associated with cystitis and used as a remedy for kidney inflammation and irritable bladder. It is also effective in clearing grit, gravel or calcium deposits in the urinary tract.    

Description
'Very common native annual. Stems are made sticky by downwardly curved prickles. Leaves, in whorls of 6-8, are up to 50 mm long, pale green and thin, with sticky, prickly edges. Young shoots grow upright; the layers of whorls quite geometric and ordered but they sprawl out as they grow, eventually forming a thick, tangled mess. Tiny greenish white flowers grow in loose clusters from the axil of the upper leaves; the fruits are the familiar sticky burs.'. This text is taken from the forager handbook by Miles Irving, (2009)  p 51-52 A similar species is the 'Sweet Woodruff' which has smooth stems and leaves and white flowers (also edible).

References/useful resources
Bruton-Seal, J & M. (2008) Hedgerow Medicine, Harvest and Make Your Own Herbal Remedies, Merlin Unwin Books, pp 30-33
Irving, M. (2009) The Forager Handbook: A Guide To The Edible Plants Of Britain, Ebury Publishing, pp 50-51
http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/goose-grass.html
http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/woodland-flowers/white-flowers/bedstraws-and-cleavers/