GO WILD
Renowned wild food forager James Wood, who runs cookery and foraging courses throughout the UK, goes foraging for elderflower and shares with us one of his favourite recipes
In recent weeks we’ve had some amazing weather and it really feels like summer has arrived, and along with this weather comes an abundance of English wild flowers. As we take longer walks and picnics in the park we’re almost constantly surrounded by the flower we will be looking at within this issue.
Elderflowers have become a quintessential British flavour, found in many drinks from cordial to sparkling wine and I must admit it really is one of my personal favourites. We get asked to take a bottle of handmade sparkling elderflower wine to nearly every occasion we attend nowadays.
The elderflowers are starting to burst in the early morning sun, filling our countryside with its unforgettable floral aroma and this year’s bloom is the best I’ve seen for the past 10 years. So get your scissors and get ready to head out.
Elder (Sambucas Nigra)
Elder is a deciduous shrub or small tree, growing up to 6m tall and the same wide. The bark of the tree is a light brown-grey and can be found cracking with a yellowing revealed in between cracks.
The light green and lightly serrated leaves, spear shaped are 5cm-12cm long and 3cm-5cm wide, grow in opposing pairs, arranged with five to seven pairs.
The flowers 5mm-6mm in diameter each have five petals and are borne in large, flat umbrellas which are 10cm-25cms in diameter. The flowers later turn to fruits, they are almost perfectly round, glossy dark purple and cause the branches they hang on, to droop when they are ripe.
Elderflower Fritters
This flavoursome recipe allows your elderflowers to go from tree to plate easily and quickly, the crisp batter bursts with the classic elder flower flavour we’ve all become more accustomed to.
What you’ll need (serves two):
5 elderflower heads with stalk connected
100g plain flour
50g corn flour
A pinch of salt
300ml chilled sparkling water
50ml elderflower cordial
A splash vegetable oil
Method:
Place the flours and salt in a bowl and mix together
Slowly add the sparkling water and cordial, 50ml at a time, and mix thoroughly until combined through and a thick cream-like consistency is reached
In a non-stick pan heat up a little oil
Hold an elderflower head by its stalk and dip the flowers into the batter, then place the battered head into the hot oil to fry
Fry until golden brown, up to one minute
Let them cool a little before enjoying with a glass of your favourite elderflower cordial and elderflower sugar
For the elderflower sugar – put plenty of elderflowers in a jar and cover with granulated sugar. Seal tightly and enjoy as and when.
The Foragers’ Cookbook is available at: www.totallywilduk.co.uk
