The Forager: Blackberries, Periwinkles & Mental Health

July is packed full of foraged treats and recipes to try out!

WHAT’S INSIDE THE FORAGER FOR JULY

• Picking Periwinkles

• A Wild Blackberry Salad

• Apple & Blackberry Crumble

• Boozy Blackberry Relish

• Why being in nature is good for the soul

• Food for thought: What I’ve been reading and listening too

Note: I don’t do affiliate links or get any kickback for mentioning anything in this newsletter but if anybody wants to buy me a cup of coffee please feel free to do so anytime :)

Good Morning from Sunny Dublin,

Doesn’t the world feel a little brighter when the sun in shining. We haven’t seen much of the summer sun here in Ireland this season but we sure do know how to appreciate it when we get some.

A few years ago I had the privilege of being invited to Cannes on a very special trip to celebrate the South the France. I never imagined to end up in a place so fancy, coming from the humble streets of Limerick. However, I jumped at the opportunity and it was fun to act the part for a few days. The reason that I am telling you this is the first meal that we sat down to on the very opulent prominade was a platter of not 1 but 14 periwinkles.

Please have a giggle with me here as I recount some foraging memories. For me, being charged over 20 euro for a couple of periwinkles seemed beyond absurd. I spent my childhood picking thousands of these delicate shellfish and they are nearly considered the poor mans dish in the west of Ireland. However, in the gleaming streets of Cannes they have good taste and recognise the delicious gems that we may elsewhere take for granted.

All this to say that this thought me probably the most valuable lesson about food and taste. Never undervalue your local dishes and traditions.

Picking Periwinkles by the Coast

Here I am adapting a blog post that I wrote in 2015 that never gets old. All it takes is a little patience, observation and a sense of adventure to track down some of the tastiest shell fish. To me tucking into a bag of fresh peri-winkles is up there with snacking on a bag of salt and vinegar crisps, without the sugar and additives.

What are periwinkles?

Let us start with a definition. A periwinkle is a small snail like creature, wrapped in a small dark grey shell. These sea snails are part of a family of over 200 species of sea snails termed the Littorinidae. They are considered a delicacy in Asian and African cuisine. Their meat is high in protein, omega-3 and has little fat. They are often eaten in coastal towns along the Atlantic where they are picked from rock pools.

Where to find Periwinkles

Periwinkles are scattered on, between and under rocks by the sea. They cleverly hide beneath seaweed and other plantlife beside the sea. My favourite spots to pick periwinkles are on the coast of Co.Clare in Ireland. Depending on how long you want to spend picking and how patient you are when looking for the bigger shells you will definitely locate some edible peris in the shallow waters by the sea rocks. Firstly, don’t forget to bring your bag with you when you are going on a periwinkle picking mission. Many a time I have stumbled upon periwinkles but with no bag to collect them there was no foraging to be done.

If you are on the beach then you are in the wrong area. You need to locate the rocks that jut out into the Atlantic at either side of the beaches. These rocks have shallow rock pools where the periwinkles gather in piles. Bend down low until you can see into the pool. You should see seaweed, moss and other sea creatures on the rock floor.

Don’t be disappointed if you don’t spot them straight away. As I said, they hide themselves under the seaweed so you will need to rummage a little bit. Periwinkles are a dusty black colour when they are in water. They might be hanging around just beside the pools but to make sure that they are periwinkles you should dip them into the water to see if they turn black.

How to cook Periwinkles winkles

Now that you have collected a batch of peris it is time to cook them. Wash them thoroughly in cold water. Empty them into a pot and add more cold water. It is important to let them boil gently. Again, depending on the size of your collection, it usually takes approximately 1 hour to boil them fully and don’t worry if you overcook. These pungent sea creatures won’t lose their flavour.

Top Tips

• Although they come from the sea and are pretty salty I always add an extra spoon of salt to

• Don’t forget your collecting bag before you go on your search

• Don’t mistake white shells for black periwinkles.

A Wild Blackberry & Basil Salad

As foragers we love to discover rare plants and wild edibles all year round but the months of August and September are extra special. These are prime harvest months in Europe. Vines are weighed down with grapes and bushes are filled to the brim with ripe berries ready to be picked.

To celebrate one of our favourite times of the year when all of the blackberries start to appear on the bushes we will be telling you our top blackberry recipes each week for the next six weeks.

We will start with a blackberry and basil salad that we recently tried out for friends.

I can safely say that the mixture of sweet and fresh ingredients makes this wild salad recipe extra special.

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh wild blackberries

• 1/2 red Onion finely sliced

• Foraged Seabeet and Lettuce Leaves

• Feta Cheese

• Toasted Almonds

• Basil Leaves

• Balsamic Vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

Pick the berries and basil leaves. This is the most important part of the preparation. There are plenty of berries around at the moment. Head to the countryside or a nearby park with your foraging basket and enjoy spending time with nature. We grow basil at home so it's easy to pick off our leaves.

Gather the other ingredients from your local store and wash all of the greens and berries.

Carefully slice half an onion into thin slices

Cut the almond nuts in half and toast them lightly in a hot pan.

Cut the feta cheese into cubes.

Mix all of the ingredients in your salad bowl

Sprinkle a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar over the top.

Fresh, seasonal and super tasty this is the perfect addition to any dinner party or weekend brunch.

We have some delicious blackberry recipes to share in the coming weeks so stay tuned and look forward to hearing some feedback. If you have any top berry recipes to share please get in touch.

Apple & Blackberry Crumble

This is the ultimate treat any time of the year. It is warm, sweet and super delicious. Try our homemade apple and blackberry crumble for the perfect way to end the summer!

Crumble Ingredients

• 150g plain flour

• 80g caster sugar

• 70g unsalted butter

Fruit Mix

• 300g Apples

• 3 cups of wild blackberries

• 30g of demerara sugar

• 30g of butter

• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

For the crumble:

Be prepared to get your hands dirty here. Add the flour to a large bowl. Cut the butter into small squares and add to the same bowl. Wash your hands and dry them. Now put your finger tips into the bowl and begin to crumble your mixture. The mix should look like small pieces of soft granola. If you over mix, it will become light and fluffy. You don't want this to happen so avoid rubbing too much. You want some bigger crumble bits to go alongside the chunky apple.

For the fruit layer:

Carefully peel and chop apples into small and big chunks. Don't worry about perfect sizes, this recipe is supposed to be messy. Enjoy chopping up your apples into different sizes. Put your freshly picked blackberries into a small bowl and wash them gently under cool water. Add the apples to a pot and add a small small of water. Leave them to stew for 5 to 10 minutes. Now add the blackberries. They will quickly stew into a nice juice Slowly pour 1 cup of sugar over the mixture. Leave them to stew on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Now you are ready to put your crumbly dessert together. Start by pouring the Apple and blackberry mix into an oven dish. Now sprinkle your crumble over the top. Place the dish in your heated over for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm with a side of vanilla ice cream.

Delicious!

Boozy Blackberry Relish

1 cup blackberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons Merlot

Combine the blackberries, sugar, and wine in a shallow, wide-bottomed pan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the jam is thick, syrupy, and very fragrant – about 10 minutes. Let cool.

Serve with grilled brie, grilled cheese sandwich, warm over roast meat etc.

Food for Thought

One way to fight invasive species, eat them! - Read More about the Invasivore Movement

The Secret Life of Periwinkles - Read More

Happy Foraging All!