Green Earthy Wood Sorrel Sauce

Green Earthy Wood Sorrel Sauce

Hello world

I know it's been a while since my last blog. I've been really busy setting up my own art course so time has been limited. I still want to share my incredible edibles with you so my posts will be shorter but they will give you some ideas on what to do with some amazing finds.

I have been watching this wood Sorrel grow now as I walk by it on my way to the local shop and finally it is ready for picking...yum.

Fig 1. L . Moore Close up of Wood Sorrel  

Fig 2. L. Moore Wood Sorrel by my local shops

Fig.3.L.Moore A long shot of Wood Sorrel

Fig.4.L.Moore Wood Sorrel in my kitchen

Fig.5. L.Moore. My Wood Sorrel Sauce

Fig.6. L. Moore.  Yum...Wood Sorrel with Salmon

Recipe

About  one jug of Wood Sorrel (stalks as well...washed)

Chicken stock cube (about half a pint)

Creme Fresh

1 small onion

3 cloves garlic

A few chilli flakes 

Black pepper

Wash and chop up the Wood Sorrel. Create about half a pint of chicken stock and let it cool. When the stock is cool add it to the Wood Sorrel in a bowl and whizz it up with a food mixer. This keeps the sauce a lovely green colour. In another pan add a little oil and fry your onion and garlic until nice and soft and then add these ingredients to the Wood Sorrel and chicken stock and whizz again with a food mixer. Once the ingredients have been mixed together pour the sauce back into the frying pan and gently add the creme fresh and stir. Now add your black pepper and taster. I poured my sauce over a lovely grilled salmon steak and green vegetables and it was beautiful. 

To make your sauce thicker you could add some cornflour. I omitted the cornflour and it was a bit thin but totally delicious (I guess it depends how you like your sauce). 

If you cook the Wood Sorrel first in the frying pan with your onion  and garlic you lose the green colour of this lovely sauce. 

I re-used the leftover sauce the next day poured over crispy green vegetables and it was lush.  

Have a go...you won't be disappointed

Wood Sorrel has a very sharp lemon taste when you taste it raw. It tingles on the tongue and is also lovely as an ice cream. The leaves are unmistakable they are in clusters of 3 little hearts. The sharp taste is due to the oxalic acid content it has. It is also packed with Vitamin C and would make a lovely refreshing drink due to its strong sharp taste. Try boiling it with sugar and make lemonade.

Warning

Research states that one should not eat a lot of oxalic acid but the amount in this recipe is very small. I have also read that if you suffer from Kidney problems avoid oxalic acid and if you eat it in excess it can affect the calcium in the bones. 

As ever with all my recipes IF IN DOUBT LEAVE IT OUT...be safe if your not certain about an edible.

A link you might find interesting 

http://bushcraftskills.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/wild-edibles-delicious-lemony-medicinal.html 

Disclaimer

Use this information at your own risk. All information is for educational and recreational purposes. 

  

Black Luxurious Elderberry Compote

Black Luxurious Elderberry Compote

OMG...so simple...so humble...amazing

Seasonally this post is a bit late...(Well err... about a month actually so apologies for not being seasonal and in real time...life is just taking over at the moment but it's all good).

This is heaven on a plate. The simplicity of this compote astounds me and it's great for you. Have this with a few dollops of natural Greek yogurt and fruit and it is enough to leave you truly satisfied. It's eye candy in a bowl so lush and rewarding. I tried this last year with just a few handfuls of elderberries and loved it. I was sad to see them go but they are back and here for a little while. Be quick if you want some the birds love them.

© Fig.1.L.Moore Black Luxury Elderberry Compote  

Ingredients

I pint of elderberries (more or less it does not matter) 

About a cup of sugar (taste as you go) 

Water to cover berries

Ok So to make your easy compote collect about a pint of elderberries (or a bowl). Using a folk comb through your berries and let them fall into a pan. Now just cover them with water and simmer in a pan for about 10 mins until soft. Use a masher and mash them just a little to get a little more juice out of them. Add sugar (about a cup) and stir until dissolved. Simmer for no more than 5 mins (otherwise you will get a syrup) and Ta dah... it's ready. I would recommend tasting your black luxury before you store it and add more sugar if you want to (or less...taste it as you are making it).

I normally put it in the fridge and use it over a week. I have it dolloped on top of some Greek yogurt and it's delicious...a great start to the day...and packed with lovely anti oxidants...and it's free YAY. You could of course add vanilla etc. to your compote to add a bit more flavor but experiment. 

The benefits of Elderberries is astounding. They have a high Vitamin A content, potassium, iron, B6, beta carotene, lots of flavanoids and they contain 87% of our daily vitamin C. 

Urban Errand Foraging

An Urban Errand Forage

Would you believe it!
On my way to the local store I'm greeted by some wonderful wild greens. Yes it's February (ok my post is a little out of sync as I had a computer crisis but it is all sorted now hoorah) and wild edibles are not as scarce as you may think. I've got my eyes peeled to the ground as I walk to the local supermarket (I won't name it as they get enough PR) scanning the ground some winter wonders lurking in the cracks and crannies of the pavements. Bingo! I find a trail of lovely hairy bitter-cress. It is pressed against the wall of someones garden between their exterior wall and the pavement.  I raise my eyes with glee and continue to the shop. I go down a  'cut through' (a path between houses) and spot at least four more clusters of this amazing edible.  I've got my eye on these young developing hopefuls. I''ll be watching them grow bright and bushy while I build up an appetite for a lovely salad or pesto dish ...slurp. During my contemplation it occurs to me "what happens if the local council obliterates them as a pest"? I better watch these lovelies very carefully and just when the time is right I'll bag them.

Fig.1. L.Moore. Hairy Bittercress with a 2p coin for scale 

Fig.2. L.Moore A close up of Hairy Bittercress  

I get what I need from the local supermarket and continue my journey home. I decide to walk a different route between more houses and a few little streets. It's surprising what you might find when you change your walking habits. I think I see something I recognize in the distance and my pace quickens. Yes I am sure it's what I think...I get closer and hanging over a garden wall are the most amazing passionflowers. These make wonderful teas and decoctions and are well known for their sedative qualities. I will often make myself a passionflower decoction which really does help me relax and sleep better. If you come across these  potent flowers then pick them and dry them out and use for drinking. I will include these in another blog about decoctions and health benefits. Be sure to ask permission if they are in someones garden and try to keep away from busy roads that pollute. This time of year I just use the leaves as the flowers are not out yet. Such a wonderful  plant.

Fig.3. L.Moore Passionflowers  

Fig.4. L.Moore A close up of Passionflowers leaves 

Fig 5. L.Moore A closer image of a Passionflower leaf

I cross a little road then down a path and come out on another street. I see another gap between some houses and take a wander down the concrete path and turn a corner. To my right I see a tiny grass verge. Woah ... Sitting pretty on the grass is a bunch of 'wood sorrel'. I can't believe my luck. Yum I will be back for this to create yet another creative edible and have a good chomp. This is such a treat. Wood Sorrel has a real lemon kick to it due to the oxalic acid in it and it is a high concentration of vitamin C. Providing you don't eat too much of this amazing edible it packs a real zingy punch to any salad.   

Fig 6 .L.Moore Wood Sorrel

Fig 7. L.Moore Wood Sorrel Closer 

                     Fig 8.L.Moore Close up of Wood Sorrel

Fig 9. L.Moore Wood Sorrel scaled to a 10 pence piece 

I will be posting about these edibles when I create an incredible edible adding more information about them so look out for it. Ta Dah...