Forage for Health

A weed is essentially a plant in the wrong place

Recipes &Information 

Enjoy a tasteful new experience, Year 3 – Year 6 ECO Ambassadors, Balsall Common Primary School Academy

Recipes included in this article

Dog Rose                                Sticky weeds

 Hawthorn                                               Wild garlic 

 Hazel                                          Wild strawberry

 Nettles                                       Dandelion

Further foraging inspiration p.10

📌 Disclaimer: The recipes and information provided are for general informational purposes only and do not substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making dietary changes, especially if you have allergies, medical conditions, or dietary restrictions. Ensure proper identification of wild plants before foraging or consuming them. Balsall Common Primary School Academy is not liable for any adverse effects resulting from recipe use or foraging activities.

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      Dog-Rose (Rosa canina)

 Artwork by: Sophia        

Recipe suggestion:

Rose hip jam

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/3349356/recipe/how-make-rose-hip-jam 

Ingredients

Jars, lids and labels                                                                                                                                                  

Method           

1. Wash the hips well and drain, cut the end and tail off, remove any leaves, otherwise the green tail and leaves might give it a bitter taste. Now, cover with water, double the amount of water to the quantity of rose hips. Set to boil until they become mushy.
2. Whilst you are waiting for it to boil, get your recycled jars and lids cleaned with soapy water, rinse really well and put on a tray with the opening facing up ready to be sterilised, more on that later as we get closer to the fin time.
3. Check the hips by picking one and let it cool the attempt to squish it between your fingers if it breaks and has a mushy texture (not the pips, they will continue to stay hard), then they are ready.
4. Once all blended you can start straining it, first get rid of the pips through a strain, now you need to get the muslin bag, cloth or sieve and start straining several time, washing the muslin and sieve in between. I have done it 6 time to be sure that there is little or no hairs, they can irritate the mouth and digestive tract if ingested.
5. When it gets to the right viscosity you are ready to add the sugar, and the lemon juice (it’s a must if you want the colour to stay vivid, otherwise you will get a red brown colour) stirring continuously until the sugar has melted and the colour has changed to a deep red. From here is just like any other jam recipe. At this point you need to get the jars and lids in the oven to sterilise, preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius and put in the oven for about 20 min, try to time it with the jam.
6. Continue to boil on medium heat, stirring every couple of minutes of so until the composition reached the texture of thick cream, it should take you about 30 min from boiling point, time is indicative only. You can always test on a cold plate, when it is cooled down on the plate it should have a slight movement, you don't want it so hard because when it cools down completely it will be hard to spread.
7. Get your jars out of the oven whilst nice and hot and start pouring the jam up to the neck (where the lid twists). Holding the jar with a tea towel, tighten the lids on the jars, this is very important as the steam will create a strong bond and the jam will last until next autumn or longer.
8. Cover up with a few towels or a fleece to allow the jam to cool down slowly, after at least 12 hr you are read to label and store it. Don't forget to save some on the side to be eaten on the day, as you will feel like you deserve it!

Many more yummy DOG ROSE recipes:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search?q=rosehip

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    Hawthorn (Crataegus)

Artwork by: Nancy    

Recipe suggestion:

  Hedgerow ketchup 

Ingredients:

• 500g elderberries
• 500g mix of hawthorn haws, blackberries and/ or crab apples
• 3 shallots chopped
• 2tsp salt
• 300ml red wine vinegar
• 250g light muscovado sugar

For the spice bag

• 3 dried chillies
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1tsp mustard seeds
• 3 thin slices ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick broken in half
• 4 pared strips of lime zest

Method

1. Wash your bottles in hot soapy water, rinse well and leave upside down to dry. Wash and pick over all the fruit. Tip into a large pan with the shallots, salt and vinegar. Measure the spice bag ingredients onto a square of muslin, tie with kitchen string and add to the pan.
2. Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer very gently, partially covered, for 30mins until all the fruit is softened. Remove the spice bag and press the mixture through a plastic sieve to remove seeds and tough skins.
3. Put your prepared bottles in a moderate oven (180C/160C fan/gas 4) for 10mins. Return the ketchup mixture to the rinsed-out pan and add the sugar. Bring to the boil, stirring, then boil hard for 8-10mins until thick and syrupy. Decant into your warm bottles, seal and label. Will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks – for long-term storage (up to a year), the ketchup will need to be sterilised.

Many more yummy HAWTHORN recipes:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search?q=hawthorn

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Hazel (Corylus)

Artwork by: Sophia  

Recipe suggestion:

Snacking

Hazelnuts are a delightful snack on their own, providing a satisfying crunch and a rich, nutty taste. They can be enjoyed roasted, salted, or simply raw.

Harvesting hazelnuts: Hazelnuts are ready for harvest when the husks turn brown or golden and begin to split open. You can gather fallen nuts from the ground or gently shake the branches to dislodge ripe nuts. Collect the nuts along with their husks to help protect them during transportation.

Husking and processing: Once you have collected hazelnuts, remove the husks by hand or use a glove to rub them off. It's essential to handle the nuts gently to avoid damaging them. After husking, let the nuts dry for a few weeks, or cure, in a well-ventilated area to reduce moisture content and enhance their flavour and shelf life.

Storing and using hazelnuts: Store dried hazelnuts in a cool, dry place in airtight containers to prevent them from becoming rancid. Roasting the nuts can enhance their flavour and make them easier to shell. You can enjoy hazelnuts as a snack, use them in baking, or incorporate them into various dishes like salads, pestos or desserts.

Many more yummy HAZEL NUT recipes:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search?q=hazelnut+snack

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Nettles (Urtica)

Artwork by: Poppy     

Recipe suggestion:

   Nettles and wild garlic soup

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/wild-garlic-nettle-soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1tbsp rapeseed oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• 25g butter
• 1 onion finely diced
• 1 leek finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 1 small potato peeled and diced
• 1.2L vegetable stock
• 300g nettle leaves
• 200g wild garlic leaves (keep flowers if you got them)
• 3tbsp milk

Many more yummy NETTLE recipes on:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search?q=nettle+recipe

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   Sticky Weed  (Galium aparine)

Artwork by: Bluebell  

Recipe suggestion:

Sticky weed drink

https://www.keeperofthekitchen.com/2021/04/28/cleaver-juice-recipe/

Ingredients

• 2 large handfuls of sticky weed (cleavers)
• 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Method

1. Place the sticky weed (cleavers), lemon and sugar into a 2 litre Kilner Jar.
2. Top up with water. Place in the fridge for up to a week.
3. Strain out the liquid, transferring to airtight containers.
4. Mix with sparkling water for a refreshing drink.

More sticky weed information:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19052856

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Wild garlic

(Allium ursinum)

Spring plant/herb

Artwork by: Poppy  

Recipe suggestion:

Wild garlic pesto

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/wild-pesto

Ingredients

• 150g wild garlic leaves
• 50g parmesan
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• ½ lemon zested and a few squeezes of juice
• 50g pine nuts toaster
• 150ml rapeseed oil

Method

1. Rinse and roughly chop the wild garlic leaves.
2. Blitz the wild garlic leaves, parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and pine nuts to a rough paste in a food processor. Season, and with the motor running slowly, add almost all the oil. Taste, season and add a few squeezes of lemon juice.
3. Transfer the pesto to a clean jar and top with the remaining oil. Will keep in the fridge for two weeks.

Many more yummy WILD GARLIC recipes on:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search?q=wild+garlic

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Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca)

Artwork by: Nancy  

Recipe suggestion:

Wild strawberry and cream layer

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/strawberries-cream-layer

serves 4

Ingredients

• 375g block all-butter puff pastry
• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 450g ripe strawberry, wild and/ or normal
• 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 284ml pot double cream
• 140g golden caster sugar

Method

1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Roll the pastry out to a square about 30 x 30cm. Lay on a large baking sheet, place another sheet on top and bake for about 20mins until golden. Heat the grill to high, dust the pastry liberally with icing sugar and carefully caramelise under the grill. Dust with another layer of icing sugar and return to the grill to caramelise again. While warm, cut the pastry biscuits into 12 neat rectangles, trimming the edges as you go. These can now be kept in an airtight container for a day.
2. Halve or quarter the strawberries, depending on their size, then dust with a little icing sugar and set aside. Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the cream, then whip lightly with the caster sugar until it just holds its shape.
3. To assemble, place a blob of cream on each plate and, at jaunty angles, stack the biscuits, cream and strawberries.

Many more yummy WILD STRAWBERRY recipes on:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search?q=strawberries

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Dandelion (Taraxacum)

Artwork by: Luella  

Recipe suggestion:

Horta Pie

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/horta_pie_hortopita_41185

Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 4oz mixed greens (such as dandelion leaves, wild garlic, nettles, sea beet, spear-leaved orache, sea arrow grass, spinach, chard), washed and chopped
• 2 medium or 3 small onions, halved and sliced
• 1 lemon, juice only
• 2 free-range eggs
• 600g/1lb 5oz feta, crumbled or chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 20 turns black peppermill
• Olive oil, for greasing and brushing
• 10 sheets filo parsley

Method

1. To make the filling, combine the greens, onions and lemon juice in a very large bowl, then add the eggs and feta and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Oil the base of a 40x40cm/16x16in ovenproof dish. Line with a sheet of filo pastry, brush with olive oil, then place another sheet of filo on top. Continue until you have five oiled sheets of filo pastry in the dish. Put the vegetable mixture in the dish. Cover with the remaining five sheets of filo, oiling between each layer. Fold in the pastry from the edges to enclose the filling and brush the top with more olive oil.
3. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. If it is browning too quickly, cover it with a sheet of foil. Delicious served warm or cold.

Many more yummy DANDILION recipes on:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/dandelion

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Further foraging inspiration

Books

• Food you can forage by Tiffany Francis Baker
• More recipe books: https://www.wildfoodie.co.uk/wild-food-cookbooks-recipe-book

Information about Forage for Health in our nature: http://bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/foraging

Woodlands Trust https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/04/edible-garden-weeds/

Wild food UK – identifying edible and poisonous wild plants https://www.wildfooduk.com/wild-plant-guide/

BBC did you know (about weeds) https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/didyouknow_weeds.shtml

BBC radio podcast Foraging for wild food

https://www.bbc.com/learningenglish/chinese/features/6-minute-english_2023/ep-230720

Balsall Common Primary School Academy

Balsall Street East

Balsall Common

CV7 7FS

Tel: 01676 532254

E-mail: office@balsall-common.solihull.sch.uk

Website: www.balsallcommonprimary.co.uk