The west coast of the Outer
Hebrides is lined with white shell sand. Beaches vary in size and beyond the
sand dunes of my local beach on the Isle of South Uist, is the machair. In
summer it grows flowers rather than grass. In the winter months cattle and sheep
graze the machair and in warmer months, it provides useful arable land for
crofters. Crops are planted on allotment sized, strips of sand-rich soil.
Potatoes grown on the machair, rival those from Jersey, the other potato that
is fertilised by seaweed. Jersey potatoes are renowned. Machair potatoes remain
a Hebridean secret.
Sea aster |
Further down the coast
towards North Uist, I can pick the sea-sprayed leaves of a tiny, mauve flower
called sea aster. Cooked, the leaves retain colour and raw, they are delicious
in salads. Sea aster flowers are edible too. You may find glasswort (marsh
samphire) close by. Glasswort has green cactus-like leaves and is best picked
in June and early July, before it becomes woody. Equipped with scissors,
foraging glasswort may be a backbreaking experience but its taste is worth the
back pain. Personal hardship aside, like other wild ingredients, it is free.
On tidal beaches, the
shellfish seeker may find cockles or with luck, razor clams. It's a tide
dependent thing. A long walk is part of the exercise and local knowledge,
useful. There is an art to grabbing a razor clam. It escapes by using its
well-designed foot, which it uses to scoot at speed through the sand. A word of
caution comes with the name; razors can mess up fingers and hands. The local
Island GP has sutured the fingers of razor clam hunters. Some foragers swear by
salt, which they sprinkle over the tell tale keyholes, which the clams leave in
the sand. A kind Islander once told me, to await the turning tide before
grabbing the razors or spoots, as they are known as in Scotland. This is
because razor clams come up to sunbathe, as the tide returns. No digging, no
sprinkling of salt (use a jam jar, cardboard cartons become soggy and damp salt
will clog-up plastic nozzles); once spied, quickly but firmly, grab your razor
clam.
I've added a can of tuna fish in this easy recipe because I
know that foraging enough razor clams to lunch upon, is a matter of experience.
If you find a quantity to dine royalty, forget the tin of tuna in this Seashore
Salad. When foraging wild ingredients, take enough for your own need and no
more.
Seashore Salad
Most floral vinegar recipes suggest leaving the flowers for
10 -14 days before straining the vinegar. Sea aster flowers will add a light
scent. Simply put the flowers into a small jar and fill the jar with white wine
or rice vinegar. Cover with a vinegar proof lid and place on a sunny windowsill
until it has reached the desired flavour.
Serves 4
Ingredients
600g new potatoes, small as
possible
4 razor clams, well washed
160g tin tuna, drained
Tablespoon sea aster buds
25g sea aster leaves, washed
and trimmed
1.5tbsp sea aster vinegar (or
lemon juice)
4 tbsps olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Handful segmented sea aster
petals
Steam the potatoes for 12-15
minutes until just cooked but still firm to the bite.
Put the razor clams on to a
baking tray. Cook under a very hot grill briefly (1 minute) until the shells
open. When they are cool enough to handle remove the white meat. Trim off the intestines.
Return the clams to the grill for about 45 seconds until they begin to steam.
Do not overcook or they will toughen.
Quarter each clam.
Cut the cooked potatoes into
bite sized pieces and put them into a warm serving dish. Add the drained tuna fish,
razor claims, sea aster leaves and buds. Mix the sea aster vinegar and oil
together and add to the salad. Toss ingredients well and season with freshly
ground pepper. Scatter the sea aster petals over the salad and serve
immediately.
©Fiona Bird
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