Discover ingredients by foraging plants

Chef David Barnett visits a local farm, forages for herbaceous plants, and gathers garden blossom as the brighter days bring forward an abundance of ingredients

Abundance is a great way to describe the variety of produce available to professional chefs and home cooks alike at this time of the year. This month I travelled to Bridge of Cally in North Perthshire to visit a family-run business at Shieldrum Farm. Producers of Drumturk Cheeses. In their own words “Artisan cheeses created from the milk of pure Swiss Toggenburg goats”. The proprietor, Denise Ferguson, specialises in making small quantities of exceptional cheeses.

One of the joys of cooking is discovering ingredients while meeting and supporting the people who put their heart and soul into producing local and sustainable food. A positive correlation is that the passion of local producers often translates into a high-quality ingredient.

First things first. I met the goats and saw how they are looked after. Denise then shared how the cheeses are made and allowed me to taste several varieties. For me, her ptarmigan cheese was a stand-out, but a close second and more suitable for the risotto dish I had in mind was the Blackthorn crumble.

I’ve written before about using Blackthorn salt. Denise shares my appreciation for it.

Magnolias, now flowering in many gardens, are lovely to look at. They create a wonderful smell, however, not everyone realises that the petals are also edible. I use their floral mild ginger flavour in several dishes. At my restaurant Blasta, magnolia petals have recently featured in a rhubarb palate cleanser and in dessert made with blood oranges. The chicory-like texture means they can be added to a salad. You can also make it into a syrup or directly infuse with alcohol to make cocktails.

My earliest memory of nettles is falling into a clump of them with shorts on. My mum rescuing me with a pile of dock leaves. It took me a while to come around to the idea of actively seeking out their company. Nowadays I love nettles. Or more to the point, I love the taste of nettles.

When foraging, avoid the big leaves. Instead go for the smaller ones. Not only are they less “stingy” they also taste better. Wearing gloves while picking is recommended. Soups are ideal for nettles and the most common use. You can also deep fry them and add salt. I like to blend them with butter to create a nettle butter that adds a unique flavour into other dishes.