Sunday Nov 3rd, Offaly, forage and lunch at my house, Clareen/kinnitty area, a few places left, book on 0877418536
, look forward to seeing you, Mary
Blackberry Friands
Ingredients,
- 1 cup plain flour,
- 1 and half cups Icing sugar, sieved,
- 100grms ground almonds,
- half cup dessicated coconut,
- 180grms butter, melted and cooled,
- 200grms fresh Blackberries, rinsed.
- 5 egg whites,
Method,
Set oven to 200degrees centigrade,
Bake in friand pan or muffin pan.
Beat egg whites until peaks form,
Mix all dry ingredients together, then carefully fold in egg whites,
Add cooled butter, put two blackberries into each muffin case, add remainder to mixture and stir in being careful not to overmix so the blackberries remain whole and don’t “bleed” into mix, Bake in oven for ten to fifteen mins till skewer comes out clean, Delicious served with spiced Blackberry jelly, a dollop of icecream and hazelnut crackle.
Hazelnut Crackle
Ingredients
- 200grms shelled Hazelnuts,
- 200grms sugar 2 tablespoons water,
- Baking parchment or silicone baking sheet,
- A few Borage or other edible flowers(optional)
Heat a heavy pan, and add hazelnuts,
Allow to toast shaking the pan frequently,
Tip out the hazelnuts onto a clean tea towel and wrap the nuts and rub them in towel to remove the outer brown skin, this can stain your tea towel so i use a dark colour towel for this part. Discard skins and chop nuts roughly.Spread nuts on parchment or silicone.
Meanwhile using a heavy based sausepan dissolve the sugar in the water without stirring, shake pan now and then,
Continue to heat till the sugar caramelises and turns golden brown, pour the syrup over the nuts, add some flowers or petals or even chopped Rosemary and allow to set, break into shards and use to decorate deserts or ice cream
hello again,
I’ve been quiet for a while only because I’m soooo busy, up at 7 to hunt out those late mushrooms and grab the last of the fat juicy Elderberries, then home to dry, juice, jam and pickle till the wee hours.
There’s not much use gathering stuff if you don’t use it.
Now the larder shelves are filling nicely, there are some “brews”bubbling and burping quietly in kitchen, the living room is festooned in drying mushrooms and my fabulous Fisher Paykel stove is fired up with big pots and 3ovens all going.
There is slow roasted venison with spiced Blackberry jelly for dinner, mushrooms on homemade toasted bread for lunch and Wild berry syrups to go with my Oaty crumble for breakfast.
Soon things outdoors will calm down as it gets colder and I can dig some Dandy roots for coffee, bottle some really good booze and begin thinking “Hampers”
Winter will I hope bring some Blewits which I love and for me it’s also time to make Elderflower Delight from Elderflower essence saved earlier and truffles with Vodka Damsons and fudge with chocolate or wild mint.
It’s been a great year so far, I’ve met lots of new people, traveled just enough, picking up recipes and ideas along the way and spent many many hours among friends and fellow foragers, thank you all and you will be in my thoughts as I pack and bottle, bless you all and keep in touch.
Wild Food Mary 