SUMMARY

In this show we speak to Sam Britten of Orkney Craft Vinegar, I give you a recipe for a gooseberry tart with elderflower cream, and forager Imogen discusses hogweed.

In this show we speak to Sam Britten of Orkney Craft Vinegar. His products are a world away from what you'd usually pick up in the supermarket and chef James Martin is a huge fan.

Interview with Sam Britten - 0:50
Sam’s craft vinegar is a world away from what you’d usually pick up in the supermarket and chef James Martin is a huge fan. We learn what vinegar really is, how best to cook with it, how you can use it in a cocktail, plus some of the interesting new flavours Sam is working on such as a smoky red dulse flavour and a gooseberry vinegar as well.
Gooseberry Tart with Elderflower Cream - 23:30
Sam is experimenting with a gooseberry vinegar at the moment, the spiky bushes are abundant in the Orkney Islands, so this was his chosen ingredient for me. I think gooseberries are really underrated! In this episode I made a tart with an elderflower cream to accompany the gooseberry. Gooseberry and elderflower are a match made in heaven.
Foraging with Imogen - 25:04
Our regular forager Imogen Davis talks about hogweed, and no it’s nothing to do with pigs! Common hogweed is absolutely everywhere and the young leaves and stems, flower shoots, and seeds are all great edibles. This versatile green has more protein in the leaves than curly kale. The more mature leaves are edible but a bit tough and hairy so go for the young shoots.
You won't have trouble finding it as it forms dense clusters of leaves all along paths, country lanes, fields and hedgerows.⁠⠀
Do be careful when handling it on a sunny day as it's mildly phototoxic (which means if the sap gets on your skin and reacts with the sun it could cause irritation). ⁠⠀
Just don't confuse it with the deadly hemlock (hairless whereas hogweed is hairy), or giant hogweed whose sap is very toxic - so make sure you're 100% before picking.⁠⠀
This is a great intro video to hogweed - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-twjXFcn7yI⁠⠀
Imogen is the co-founder of Native restaurant.