Cooking on the wild side
foraging for food
Recipes
Here are some recipes using food you can forage-so not only is it healthy, its also cheap! However, Please remember to be careful what you pick as some varieties can be poisonous. Check whether the land is public or private and always follow the countryside code.
Wild garlic and nettle soup
ingredients
2 handfulls of fresh nettles (be careful of stings, try to get new / young nettles and if you cant find any of these then just use the tops
2 handfuls of wild garlic
1 small onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 leek
570ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper to season
Instructions
Chop the vegetables (including nettes and wild garlic) into small pieces. Place all the ingredients into a large pan. Season and bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool for a bit, then liquidise or blend the soup if required. Reheat the soup when ready to eat.
serves 4 at 38p per serving
Elderflower and gooseberry cheesecake
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
200g digestive biscuits
100g butter,melted
For the cheesecake
500g gooseberries (if you cant find fresh gooseberries, tinned ones will work just as well)
10 freshly picked elderflower heads
2 tbsp caster sugar
Strip of lemon peel
300ml double cream
250 mascarpone
Instructions
Place the biscuits into a large plastic food bag and crush with a rolling pin. Empty them into a mixing bowl then add the melted butter and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into a 23cm flan dish and press down well with a wooden spoon until level.
Gently clean the elderflower heads and place into a pan with the gooseberries, sugar and lemon peel. Pour in a splash of water (not alot is needed). Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved then simmer for about 10 minutes until the gooseberries are soft. Strain through a sieve into a bowl and leave to cool.
Whip the double cream until softly peaked and stir in the mascarpone. Stir in the gooseberry puree and pour over the biscuit base.Chill in the fridge for at least six hours or overnight.
serves 8 at 60p per serving