On trend – From the Earth

It’s a match made in heaven paying dividends here on earth: on the NSW Far North Coast, forager and wild food researcher Peter Hardwick works with Harvest chef Ally Waddell to bring dishes starring native ingredients to an appreciative audience.

Forager Peter Hardwick and Harvest chef Ally Waddell make a tasty pair.

“NATIVE FOODS ARE INHERENTLY ABOUT RECONCILIATION; ACKNOWLEDGING SOMETHING IN THE PAST THAT HASN’T BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED.” – PETER

“IT’S IN MY BLOOD – I’ve been foraging since I was about four years old,” reflects Peter Hardwick as he gathers wild kelp from a beach in Byron Bay. What began as a childhood hobby for the passionate botanist has developed into a collaboration of the most unique kind, where Peter works as forager and wild food researcher for Harvest, the innovative restaurant in the hamlet of Newrybar that achieved 21st spot on the 2017 NSW delicious. 100 list. There, he works closely with head chef Ally Waddell to integrate native foods like bunya cone, wild kelp, sea purslane and coastal tea tree onto the Harvest menu.

A pioneer of the bush food scene in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Hardwick recalls his proudest moments as witnessing how indigenous food has evolved on menus throughout Australia. “I used to go out to restaurants and pitch to them about how they could use these ingredients on their menus,” he says. “Native foods give us that distinctive taste of Australia. The ingredients don’t have to be loud, it’s more about their clever use.” What Hardwick most loves about native ingredients is the complexity, nuances and highlights they can add to dishes. “These ingredients are completely multifaceted; they have spice, elegance, sweetness and bitterness. There are so many aromatic elements to them that are totally unexpected. We’re not just talking about a wild food scene here in Australia – it’s a new-ingredient scene.”

“I SEE CHEFS AS ARTISTS, AND I HAND ALLY THE PALETTE AND WHAT HE DOES WITH IT IS AMAZING. IT’S LIKE GIVING PAINTS TO A PAINTER.” – PETER

“NATIVE FOODS GIVE US THE DISTINCTIVE TASTE OF AUSTRALIA.” – PETER

RECIPES ALLY WADDELL WORDS PHOEBE WOOD TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY ELISE HASSEY FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY CHRIS COURT RECIPE STYLING KIRSTEN JENKINS Snapper with native spiced broth and braised fennel (recipe p 106) – garnished with ice plant ( Mesembryanthemum crystallinum) and purslane( Portulaca oleracea).

CLOCKWISE (from top left): pandanus roots with pandanus fruit segments; Ally and Peter examine a find; grey mangrove seed; Harvest’s kitchen garden; coastal tea tree; charred kelp; (inset centre) Ally and Peter collect coastal tea tree.

1. Sow thistle ( Sonchus oleraceus); 2. Chickweed ( Stellaria media); 3. Narrowleaf plantain ( Plantago lanceolata); 4. Pandanus fruit ( Pandanus tectorius); 5. Warrigal greens ( Tetragonia tetragonioides); 6. Sea purslane ( Sesuvium portulacastrum); 7. Charred kelp (Ecklonia radiata); 8. Woodcress ( Cardamine hirsuta); 9. Farmers friend ( Bidens pilosa); 10. Dock ( Rumex obtusifolius); 11. Pickled narrowleaf plantain ( Plantago lanceolata); 12. Coastal tea tree ( Leptospermum laevigatum); 13. Sunrose ( Aptenia cordifolia); (left, top) seed segments of grey mangrove ( Avicennia marina); (left, bottom) a growing frame in the Harvest garden; (right) Peter and Ally.

Pulled lamb, Asian herbs, lime & peppercorn dressing