I am fulfilling a promise I made to the lovely G.I.Y group in Ennis, who kindly asked me to take them on a wild food walk last month. The promise was to post this recipe, I try to keep my promises……………………It was great to go urban, as I know there are so many wild plants in parks, neglected sites and other curious places in our towns and villages………avoiding car and dog pollution can be tricky, but if you are careful, all sorts of goodies are there for the taking. Wintercress and Bittercress are common in planted areas, as is Sorrel, Fat Hen, and all the usual berries and fruits of the season.
The walk was around a huge sports field, edged by woods and open areas, so we found plenty of great free food, even a Crab Apple and Hazelnut tree for good measure. I always bring something to taste after a walk, so in the car-park, the group were offered nettle and sorrel pesto, chickweed pakoras,and Dilisk I had picked and dried. They told me they enjoyed the fare, I did.
We spoke for ages about the numerous things one could do with the harvest, which brings me to this recipe, delicious Haw Ketchup. A bit of effort, but so worth it, and with the bushes weighed down this Autumn, you have no excuses…..
Haws
Hawthorn (Crataegus Monogyna)
The tree or bush which produces ‘haws’, the red berries that stud the hedgerows in Autumn/Winter and provide such an abundance of food for the birds, when little else is available. One of our most common hedgerow species, it can also be the basis for lots of unusual good things to eat.
Haw Ketchup
3 lbs./1350g. haws 1 teaspoon salt
12 oz./350g. sugar Dash of cayenne pepper
1.5 pints of wine vinegar
Was the berries and remove any stalks and cook with the vinegar, simmering for about half an hour. Put through a blender and then #sieve to remove the pips. Return to the pan with the sugar, salt and pepper, and boil for 15 mins. stirring well. The mixture will thicken slightly, and at this stage remove from heat, bottle, seal and label.
#This is the tricky, lengthy bit, getting as much flesh through the sieve as possible, but the rewards are great,( I think so anyway)
Try with cheese, lentil burgers, on a fried egg……divine.
Recipe from a lovely book given to me by a past horticulture student of mine, thanks Phil.
The book is called ”The Wildfoods Cookbook”, by a lady with a brilliant name.
Joy.O.I Spoczynska.
Thank you Joy.
My Haw Ketchup
