Sea Kale "Crambe Maritima" Root

Sea Kale is the perfect food plant, every part is edible. It is believed to have been a staple of our Irish ancestors, as they foraged for food along the sea shore.
Having experimented with eating various parts of the plant, the root remained untested. So today, when thinning out the plants and accidentally digging up a large section of tap root, it was time to try it out in the kitchen.

Sea Kale "Crambe Maritima" Root

Knowing that our recipe books were not going to be of assistance, it was to Ray Mears and Gordon Hillman's Wild Food that we turned. They confirmed that that the roots of Crambe Maritima were indeed edible, both when eaten raw and cooked.
Despite Ray Mears' preference for raw seakale root, it was found not to be particularly appetising - faintly remeniscent of raw turnip and quite fibrous, when compared to the more pleasing raw scorzonera root, dug at the same time, for comparison purposes. Next step, was to roast the two roots alongside carrots, onion, celeriac and pumpkin.
The sea kale root was improved by cooking - tasting quite starchy, but unable to compete with the scorzonera and other roots. There is no doubt that it definitely requires some very special culinary expertise, way beyond our capabilities.
Moral of the story: foraged foods may be nutritious and good for you, but there is often a very good reason why they are not more commonly eaten.
If anyone has had a better experience, it would be good to hear about it.

Email: kilkennyseakale@gmail.com

Jerusalem Artichokes - Helianthus tuberosus

Jerusalem Artichokes (not to be confused with Globe Artichokes) are related to the sunflower. They are native to the eastern states of the North American continent and were extensively cultivated by the native peoples living there. The misleading name is believed to refer to Ter Neusen, the location at which they were grown in Holland, following their introduction to Europe, via France. This being only one of many explanations: that when the tubers were first brought to England, they were known as Artischokappeln van Ter Neusen, which became corrupted to Jerusalem Artichoke. 

Freshly dug Jerusalem Artichokes for sale at Glasrai & Goodies, Gowran, Co. Kilkenny

Tighe in his Statisical Survey of Kilkenny, 1801, mentions that they were grown in the county as a fodder crop for sheep. This should not put anyone off cooking them, as they make a delicious soup and the two recipes below, taken from Maura Laverty's Full & Plenty, 1960, are well worth trying.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

This root vegetable deserves to figure more often on the menu. But it needs care in cooking. If artichokes are allowed to continue cooking after the have become tender, they are liable to become tough again.

Wash and scrub the artichokes and drop them into boiling water. Cook them, covered, until they are tender. After 15 mins. Test with a skewer.

Drain them and keep them in a hot place while you prepare the following dressing: Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 1 teaspoon mild white vinegar or dry white wine. Add 2 teaspoons chopped parsley. Pour this dressing over the artichokes and serve at once.

CREAMED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

Cook the artichokes as above. Drain them well and pour over enough cream sauce to make a good topping (about ½ pint cream sauce to 1½ lbs artichokes). Sprinkle thickly with chopped parsley.

Email: kilkennyseakale@gmail.com

Nashtown Castle Pickles & Preserves

SLOW FOOD, REAL FOOD
The garden and orchard surrounding the site of Nashtown Castle, are located on some of the best quality limestone land in Kilkenny, ideal for growing vegetables and fruit. In 1778, references to the adjoining farm indicate that good quality cider apples and potatoes were being successfully grown here. By 1801, a peach house and a green house were in existance - great status symbols, in their day.

Nashtown Castle Pickles and Preserves

We have a surplus of fruit and vegetables, grown on this exceptionally fertile soil. So, in accordance with our waste, not want not philosophy, we pickle and preserve that surplus. Having respect for the plants so carefully nurtured, we only use the best quality real ingredients to mix with them when creating our pickles and preserves. If we can find local and Irish ones of sufficient quality, then we use them in preference.

Nashtown Pickles and Hedgerow Jelly

Nashtown Castle Green Tomato Pickle is made with heritage varieties of tomatoes and is based on a Canadian Chow Chow recipe, using cider vinegar from Tipperary and Malvern sea salt, with tumeric which is reputed to have many healthy properties.
Nashtown Castle Green Tomato Chutney is created with the same home grown tomatoes, along with our neighbours' apples (our trees were bare this year) and our own white onions and garlic. This chutney is based on an old fashioned classic recipe. The more mature this chutney becomes, the better it tastes.
Nashtown Castle Cucumber Pickle consists of the 3 different types of cucumbers grown here combined with our white onions and our mild garlic.
Nashtown Castle Hedgerow Jelly is always a joy to make. It depends entirely on the autumnal wild fruits that are available to us, as we forage around the local hedgerows. Each year is different. This year elderberries were few in number, the blackberries were late, some normally dependable crab apple trees had no fruit on them, however the rose hips and haws were plentiful.

Nashtown Castle pickles and preserves are made in small batches using seasonal produce, so when they run out, we have to wait until the following year before we make more. Recipes maybe altered to reflect availability of local products.

Nashtown Castle pickles and preserves are available from Glasrai & Goodies, in Gowran, County Kilkenny, Ireland and in Phelans' vegetable shop on Ormond Street, in Kilkenny City, Ireland.

Email: kilkennyseakale@gmail.com

Boxty - potato bread

BOXTY - Not a Kilkenny Tradition, but made with Kilkenny Flour.

Three different types of Boxty

Boxty is a potato bread, made with wheat flour and potatoes. Traditionally cooked on a griddle or pan over an open fire, particularly in counties like Leitrim and Longford. The Boxty in this photo is interesting, although all three types are made with Mosse's flour from County Kilkenny, they vary greatly from a pancake version to a loaf-like one.

Potato breads and cakes are thought of as typically Irish food, however, it should be remembered that few potatoes were eaten in Ireland, prior to the eighteenth century.

Email: kilkennyseakale@gmail.com