HARVESTING SEAWEED

     Summer is the best time to harvest seaweed in Nova Scotia because the warmer water encourages the sea plants to grow, not to mention it's sunny and warm enough to make me think it would be a good idea. A few months back I helped organize this camping trip to the Bay of Fundy with some of the families from my children's school. We wanted the kids to discover where the seaweeds we commonly eat grow and how to properly (and safely) harvest them. So, I checked the tide charts and we arrived at that perfect moment when the ocean reveals her treasures to us for a brief time. It was spectacular.

     The three seaweeds we gathered were Dulse, Sea Lettuce, and Kelp. Not only do I love seaweed for it's amazing briny flavour, but for it's incredible nutritional properties as well. Did you know that seaweed is high in fibre and a wide range of essential nutrients including enzymes, nucleic acids, amino acids, minerals, trace elements and vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K? It's good for your heart, blood pressure, hormonal/lymphatic/urinary/digestive and nervous systems. Need I say more?
     Of the three, Dulse is the best eaten straight up out of the ocean, or savoured after it's been dried and packaged away for the winter. It's tender, delicious, and dare I say kind of like bacon? Sea Lettuce can be eaten fresh from the sea in salads, or you can dry it and reconstitute in water to make seaweed salad in the winter. All seaweeds make great additions to your wintertime soups too. My favourite way to enjoy both Dulse and Sea Lettuce is dried well and then crushed into flakes using my coffee grinder. These easy to use seasoning "sprinkles" taste fantastic on steamed vegetables, in salads, or on popcorn. Kelp can also be prepared in this way, but I mostly keep it in larger pieces once it's been dried and then I add it to my chicken stock and soups.

     For those of you interested in the more technical details of how to harvest seaweed I am more than happy to share the way I go about it. As I mentioned, you need to check the tide charts for the area you know for sure has the seaweed you are looking to harvest. This is the tricky part as you generally have to learn from someone else. You want to pick a day and time when the tide is at it's lowest point. Then you show up about half an hour before this time with large empty onion bags, a pair of scissors and an empty knapsack. At our particular spot, you have to walk WAAAAY out before you see the Dulse, Sea Lettuce or Kelp. Then you make sure you cut the seaweed off the rock leaving a bit behind so that the plant can regrow. When the tide starts coming in it's important to start heading back so you don't get stuck in water that is too deep for you. I always make sure to take a big bucket of clean seawater back with me so that just as I am about to lay them out to dry in the sun, I give them a quick dip in the water to remove any sand. I have specially built racks made using wood and snow fencing which I use to lay my seaweed on. I usually hang the kelp on the laundry line. Then you just let the sun do its thing until the seaweed is crispy dry. Then I bring it in and store it in paper bags.

WILD BERRY JAM

     I never thought I'd find something positive to say about the forest that was clearcut next to our farm. For years it was actually a part of this farm, until the old man who owned it died and the property was subdivided. He responsibly harvested his firewood off that land for years, and with a lot of respect and care. Unfortunately someone decided to sell the trees for profit and after a few years of growth, trees are coming back. And so are berries! For the last three summers I've tramped through the wilderness of the new growth and manage to collect enough berries to make a batch of wild berry jam. This time the kids came with me and were very eager to show me where all the "good" spots for picking were - as well as mossy patches for rest and renewal.

     I am a big fan of pectin-less jams as I suspect the methods of manufacturing pectin are less than natural or healthy. Last year I made a lovely batch of wild raspberry jam sans pectin and it turned out great. Our harvest this year was composed of predominantly blackberries and huckleberries, with a few raspberries and blueberries as well. I've heard that blackberries are high in pectin and don't require the use of the packaged stuff to gel, so I hoped that since they made up the bulk of the bunch I'd end up with a nice thick jam. I was lucky, the jam turned out well. It was a small production though, just 4 jars. Since we had so much fun foraging today, maybe we'll go for another round in a few days.

WILD BERRY JAM with Honey

6 cups mixed wild berries, rinsed

3 cups local honey

Method: Place the berries and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil and cook, stirring occasionally for about 25-30 minutes. Spoon into sterilized canning jars, and heat process for about 10-15 minutes. Once opened, I find freezing the jam ensures that it won't go mouldy by the next time we are in the mood for a spoonful!

 

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IF YOU GO INTO THE WOODS TODAY...

     ...you'll be in for a big surprise. Well that is, if you happen upon a patch of wild chanterelles. Every summer around this time, I keep my eye on a very special spot in the forest near my house because I know chanterelles grow there. If I don't get there in time, the slugs will have started eating them. It seems the mushrooms appear after a nice succession of rainy days, which we certainly had last week. This is the first year I've gathered mushrooms at what appeared to be their peak moment.

     When I still lived in the city I would buy wild chanterelles from a man at the Farmer's Market. It was always a treat to walk by his stand and see the rows of brown paper bags full of wild mushrooms. I must admit though, the thrill of finding them in the forest is even better. Anyway, my favourite way to eat chanterelles is sautéed with onions in salty butter, and served on homemade pasta. Topped with lots of cheese of course. Unfortunately, I just wasn't up for making pasta yesterday - as much as I wanted to so I could film the whole process to share with you - so I made a batch of polenta instead. I know, what a let down. That's alright, there's always next year.

WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY.....

we definitely played.  My dad whisked away my eldest son for a few days, and so my husband and I have been leisurely accomplishing things we never seem to manage to with two kids around.  I harvested some nettle from the garden and made homemade pasta. Seriously good served with a filet of salmon in a balsamic mustard glaze.  I said, "Honey, you know what they say....the way to man's heart is through his stomach....".  A great way to say I love you. 

FRESH NETTLE PASTA with Fresh Tomatoes and Blue Cheese

The idea for using fresh tomatoes and blue cheese came from Hugh Fearnsley-Whittingstall's cookbook Three Good Things.  

1 1/2 cups unbleached organic white flour 

2 cups organic light spelt flour

3 organic eggs, beat lightly

1/2 tsp sea salt

6 cups fresh nettle 

Method: Wash the nettle to remove grit.  Remove leaves from woody stems and place in a pot with 1/4 cup of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce, steaming until tender - about 4-5 mins.  Drain well and allow to cool.  Be sure to squeeze out excess moisture.  Chop finely.  

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flour, salt, eggs and nettle.  With the paddle, stir for 1 minute on #2.  Switch to hook and mix for a couple of minutes.  Add more flour if necessary.  Then knead by hand for a couple of minutes.  Allow to rest in a covered bowl for 30 mins.  

     Use a pasta machine to make pasta.

SAUCE:  2 tubs of cherry tomatoes, quartered

1-2 cloves of garlic, sliced

sea salt and pepper

good olive oil

nice wedge of European blue cheese

Method:  Combine all ingredients and allow to macerate for at least 30 mins.  When pasta is cooked, toss with the tomatoes and then crumble on the blue cheese.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.  Stir lightly and serve.

SALMON with Balsamic Mustard Glaze

1 nice wild salmon fillet

4 cloves organic garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp organic white wine

1 Tbsp local honey or maple syrup

1/3 cup organic balsamic vinegar

4 tsp organic Dijon mustard

sea salt and pepper to taste

fresh organic oregano, chopped

Method: Preheat oven to 400*.  In a small saucepan combine the garlic, wine, honey, vinegar, and mustard.  Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.  Allow to cool and then brush the salmon with half the glaze and sprinkle with chopped oregano.  Bake in oven for 10-15 mins.  Reglaze halfway through cooking time.

FORAGED FEAST

     I've felt quite like a bee these days, frolicking in the fields, zig zagging my way round the farm from flower to flower.  It's summer, and the hot sunny days have been the perfect time to collect the wildflowers and herbs that grow on our land.  Once back into the house (which is a cool shady respite from the blazing sun), the herbs are then hung to dry or steeped in vodka, olive oil or apple cider vinegar for various herbal preparations.  The dehydrator has also been getting a workout drying the lovely red clover blossoms that grow in abundance this time of year.  It is such a joy to see my house transformed into an herbal production site - bunches of herbs dangling from the ceiling, sunny window sills and dark cupboards lined with jars of steeping herbs.  There is nothing more rewarding than going outside with an empty basket, and coming back with so many wild herbs.  Mother nature is so great, and provides so much.  There are so many wild plants growing here - and so many more that I can't wait to learn to identify.  

     One plant that I learned about recently is Lamb's Quarters - otherwise known as Wild Spinach.  This plant grows so abundantly in gardens, that most people recognize it as the weed they are always getting rid of.  After having our field plowed this Spring and then planted with Red Clover as a green manure, I was delighted to discover Lamb's Quarters growing, well, like weeds, all over the field.  They especially grow well in the huge pile of composted manure we have up in the corner of the field.  I have been harvesting baskets and baskets of this nutritious plant all week in an effort to stock our freezer full of it for the coming winter.  

     When my husband arrived home last night with a huge container of feta cheese which my mother bought for us, I was inspired to make a pan of Spanakopita with the wild greens.  Lamb's Quarters are a far superior green for this dish for a number of reasons: they taste better, have less water and so yield much more once steamed, and they are free.  What more can you ask for?

     A while back my mother shared her recipe for Greek Spanakotiropita which is the one I always use, only this time I substituted wild Lamb's Quarters for the chard and spinach.  Once you try homemade filo dough, you will never want to use the store bought stuff again.

WILDCRAFTING: Blueberries

I paid a visit to my favorite wild blueberry picking spot on my way into the city the other day and was very happy to discover that the time for picking is now.  I had fantasies of a quiet morning in solitude foraging for blueberries, but my plan was foiled.  My son was desperate to come along to "Blueberry Land", and so he did.  

He was really cute with his little bucket in hand as I heard the little "dip, dip" of his harvest hitting their mark.  The novelty of actually doing any picking lasted about 30 minutes, and then her transformed into the blueberry monster who ate every berry he came across.  At two and half hours he was ready for home, but I was frantic.  I couldn't stop tipping my bucket of berries over!  Picking little tiny blueberries off the ground is very tedious and disheartening work.  Alas, a good portion of my harvest has now become compost on the forest floor, but I did manage to salvage enough to make one, delicious, and I mean delicious, pie.  Note to self:  always use a container that has a wide base that won't tip over when picking blueberries.  My husband also informed me that I could always do it like his dad does - use a little sour cream container for the active picking, and when it gets full, dump it into a larger, lidded container.  Good idea.

Please note:  berry picking is not for the "instant gratification" type of individual.  It takes a long time to pick berries (and sometimes your bucket tips over).  Then you have to bring them home and clean them and remove all the leaves, dirt, and debris (especially if you had to pick them up off the ground after spilling them) which is kind of hard.  But I do have a quick cleaning tip - place berries in a bowl of water, swirl and strain.  Then pick up small handfuls of berries, pick out any large chunks of debris and then dump the handful of berries in a bowl.  Little bits of dirt and leaves will remain stuck to your hand, simply wipe off on a towel and repeat.

WILD BLUEBERRY PIE

1 double crust recipe for pastry dough

4 cups wild blueberries

4 Tbsp organic cornstarch

1/4 cup local maple syrup

1 tsp organic lemon juice

Method:  Preheat oven to 400*.  Place the berries in a large bowl.  Using a potato masher, squish 1/4 of the berries to release some juice.  Stir in the cornstarch, maple syrup and lemon juice.  Let rest while you prepare pie crust in pie plate.  Pour in filling, cover with other crust and then bake at 400* for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350* and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until crust browns slightly.

WILDCRAFTING: St. John's Wort

This morning found me loading the kids into the car and heading down the beach road near our house to where I've discovered St. John's Wort growing in profusion.

 Rolled down the windows and left the kids in the car, set up the tripod and voila, a mini vlog on how to harvest St. John's Wort flowers.

     St. John's Wort is the go to herb when you need to brighten your day - it is a popular herb for depression and anxiety.  But lately I am really into creating an elite first aid kit, chock full of herbal remedies, band-aids, and tweezers.  So, in about a month when my oil is done infusing, we will be blessed with a powerful remedy for bruises, sprains, burns, and injuries of all kinds.  My jar of oil is incubating on the sunniest windowsill in our house as I eagerly wait for it's medicinal loveliness to magically transform into a ruby hued wonder.

THE GRAPES OF WRAP

Like I mentioned earlier, I am visiting my mom and dad in Ontario for awhile.  Although I haven't been posting very frequently, I just knew I had to share with you a magical little place right near their home.  It is a walking trail on the edge of a forest and wetland.  Despite the huge amount of suburban development that is occurring in this area, there are tiny pockets of wilderness that remain, and I am always delighted to witness the bounty of nature thriving and providing even in the most unexpected places.  Each morning I take the boys for a walk along this trail, and I listen to the birds and observe the plants growing and bearing fruit.  I am especially enamored with the wild grapes that are growing profusely on the trees and bushes right at the edge of the forest.  It is amazing.  Who would have thought that you could harvest wild grapes smack dab in the middle of suburbia? Well you can, and I have.  The grapes aren't ready yet though, so I thought I'd share with you a little clip I took this morning that demonstrates how to harvest Grape Leaves.

     I grew up eating grape leaves prepared pretty much only one way - as Dolmades, or Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves.  But I do recall having seen some exciting recipes using grape leaves.  For instance, Mario Batali makes Stuffed Grape Leaves with Goat Cheese and Black Pepper.  Or how about Grilled Salmon in Grape Leaves?  Mmm this sounds good too..Grilled Beef in Grape Leaves.  Anytime you want to wrap stuff and grill it, go for the grape leaves.

     Like I said, I have yet to use grape leaves for anything other than Dolmades.  But after checking out these other recipes, I think I may have to branch out.  I had big plans to share my awesome Dolmades recipe with you, but I am going to have to wait until I get home to dig out the recipe..sorry!

LITTLE STAR LADY

Welcoming spring with open mouths.

The earth is alive, and we have been grateful recipients of her bounty this week.  First it was the dandelions, then the asparagus we've waited three years to feast upon, and today, we relished the freshness of the little star lady, Chickweed.  Stellaria media can easily be overlooked as an unwanted common garden weed.  I myself am guilty of having haphazardly ripped her from the earth in an attempt to clear my garden of unwanted visitors.  

But that was before I realized who this lovely lady was, and there is no going back now.  Oh no, Stellaria media is a definite keeper.  Not only does chickweed taste so fresh and delicious in a salad, it is one of the supreme healers of the herbal queendom.

     Stellaria media is best identified by many small, starry white flowers with five petals than appear to be ten petals.  It grows in low, dense, vibrant-green mats.  Chickweed likes to grow in cultivated/disturbed soil in open but cool environments.  The only spot is grows on my land is in my garden because it's presence indicates fertile, mineral rich soil, and around here that only exists where we've imported or created it (unfortunately).  

Luckily my generous neighbour spotted a bounty of chickweed growing in her garden and invited me over for a little harvesting.

 In the kitchen I clean and prepare chickweed much the same way I do dandelion (check out the deets on my Dandelion Harvest post).  The simplest way to serve dandelion is mixed in with your salad greens and dressed with a simple vinaigrette.  If you want to get a little fancy, use equal parts basil and chickweed in your next pesto, or add a handful to your sandwiches in place of lettuce.  Don't forget, keep your eyes peeled for chickweed when you get out there to weed your garden, and for God's sake, don't throw it out!

WEEDING

If you look closely you will see that the dandelion greens are sprouting up everywhere, including in my perennial fruit and vegetable garden.  The whole bed needs to be weeded, and what better way to begin than by harvesting the dandelion greens for supper?  Eating dandelions may seem foreign to many people, but not me.  Growing up in a Greek family means you eat wild dandelion greens every spring.  I have vivid memories of my mother and cousin foraging for dandelions when I was a child, and then serving them for dinner.  They are definitely an acquired taste, and luckily I have that.  The bitterness of the dandelion is a powerful spring tonic for your digestive system, stimulating your liver to detoxify.  Which is a really good thing after a long winter of heavy foods.

I remembered to grab my camera on my way out the door yesterday morning so I could show you how I harvest spring dandelion greens.  When you are ready to try this yourself, just be sure you pick them in clean and unpolluted areas.  That means no digging for dandelion on the side of the road!  As tempting as that may be, it is a really bad idea.  Which is too bad because dandelions love to grow on the gravelly soft shoulders of roads.

GREEK BOILED DANDELION

If you are ever driving around on a nice spring day and see a woman bent over in a field with a plastic bag in one hand and a knife in the other, odds are it's a Greek woman picking dandelions for supper.

 3 lbs young wild dandelion greens
1 Tbsp sea salt
about 2 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
the juice of about 1 organic lemon
sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:  Wash the greens well before cooking and trim any coarse stems.   Discard any brown leaves.  Soak the dandelion in a clean sink with plenty of water.  Any sand or debris will eventually sink to the bottom while the greens float on the surface of the water.  Remove the greens from the water and place in a colander to dry.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the salt.  Carefully submerge the greens in the pot and boil gently for about 20 minutes or until the thickest parts of the stems are tender.  Do not overcook.  Drain the greens well in a colander over the sink.  Really squeeze the liquid out with the back of a spoon.  Place greens in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.  Serve warm or at room temperature.