{"id":2093,"date":"2012-01-09T14:10:18","date_gmt":"2012-01-09T04:10:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.belly.net.au\/?p=2093"},"modified":"2012-02-05T15:29:18","modified_gmt":"2012-02-05T05:29:18","slug":"2093","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.belly.net.au\/?p=2093","title":{"rendered":"A little seasonal foraging"},"content":{"rendered":"

On air on Bay Fm 99.9, Byron Bay community radio, on January 9 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

We have had so much rain and heat lately that everything is growing like mad.\u00a0 My veggie patch is terribly neglected and yet stuff is turning by itself , lovely self seeded volunteers for the salad bowl.\u00a0 Miss January even has a little lichen growing around her neck, in a little glass container.\u00a0 We don’t have a recipe for that yet, but we had a big chat on the show about foraging, picking and eating things that are growing around us.\u00a0 After the recent mushroom poisoning, we also stress that you should be very careful and make sure what you put in your mouth is safe.\u00a0 Or at least as safe as the industrially produced ingredients in your average supermarket!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MISS JANUARY’S BEST IN SEASON<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Apricot
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Asparagus
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Avocado
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Banana
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Blackberry
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Blueberry\"\"<\/a>
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Capsicum<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Celery
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cherry
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cucumber
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Currants
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eggplant
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Honeydew Melons
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lettuce
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Lychee
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mango
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mangosteen
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Okra
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Onion
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Peach
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Peas
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pineapple
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Plums
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Radish
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rambutan
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Raspberry
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rockmelon
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Squash
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Strawberry
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tamarillo
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tomato
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Watermelon
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Zucchini
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Zucchini Flower<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Forage and friends with Alison Drover “Miss January” from Fork in the Field www.forkinthefield.com<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I love January time to read books from Christmas day that blur and impromptu dinners with friends with left overs from Christmas.<\/p>\n

Start the need year foraging around your community and see what you can source growing naturally. Take time with friends to share your food skills whether they are bread making, jam making or fish smoking. Share your harvest and respect the planet and plants you pick.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

TZATZIKI WITH DILL, MINT AND BORAGE FLOWERS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredients
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 cucumbers
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 olive oil – Australian of course
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 goat or sheep’s yogurt
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 garlic
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 dill
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mint
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 lemon juice
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 salt
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 borage flowers<\/p>\n

A Greek dish so simple yet such a star especially in summer.\u00a0 Surrounded by toasted pita bread it is an economical way of accompanying pre dinner drinks or as a side for lamb bbqs or to accompany a warm potato salads it is equally as delicious.
\nInstruction
\nPeel a cucumber, cut it in half and remove the seeds. Take a grater and grate the cucumber (keep a bowl underneath it to collect the water) I drink this high in silica cucumbers are great for skin.
\nLeave it in a colander with a little salt until it has given up some of its juice. Take a handful of the cucumber with gloves and squeeze the water from the it. Continue to do this a few times in order to remove as much water as possible.
\nPat the cucumber dry with kitchen towels then fold into a little olive oil and 250g strained yogurt. Season with a crushed clove of garlic and a little dill or chopped mint leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

DAVIDSON PLUM<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This tree is rare in the wild, usually found in NE QLD and NE NSW. It is cultivated in certain areas of northern NSW and far north QLD. The fruit is about the size of a blood plum with a double flat seed. It is tangy and delicious but extremely sour. Davidson plums can be used in place of blood plum in any recipe but as with most of the bush fruits, the flavour is very intense. If compared to a standard plum you would use only 1 Davidson to 3 other plums.<\/p>\n

This means they should be mixed with other fruit so that they do not overpower the dish. Half and half may be a good ratio. They will not lose their colour or break down and become mushy. Davidson plum is very well suited to sauce making, both sweet and savoury.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

JAM MAKING – DAVIDSON PLUMS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Davidson plums make great jam.<\/p>\n

I have been up early collecting Davidson plums. You have to pick them when they are ripe so in my case it was dropping everything and picking and gathering. The low hanging ones can be shook off and the higher ones will need a stick. They are delicious!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RECIPE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Wash the Davidson plums. Place them in a saucepan and then boil them up with equal parts sugar and add a cup of sugar. The plums are low in sugar so it is important to add pectin to the jam and add more sugar than usual. Jam making is very much about feeling your way around.<\/p>\n

Tip for making jam, which is low in pectin. Take muslin like cheesecloth about the size of a handkerchief. Fill it with pips from 2-3 lemons and all the pith, which are the white insides of the lemon. You can remove this by scraping it out with a spoon.<\/p>\n

The pith contains the pectin, which is required to set the jam. Tie a knot around the contents and then
\nadd a\u00a0 piece of string about 30 cm long around the knot and then hang it over the saucepan so it sits in the saucepan and boils with the fruit.<\/p>\n

Continue to boil with the bag. The pectin inside the bag is released and helps the jam to set. Take a wooden spoon and squeeze the bag against the saucepan to squeeze out more pectin. Turn the heat up and boil rapidly until the jam reaches setting point \u2013 a sugar thermometer will be helpful here (start checking when it reaches 104C). but to confirm this, put a teaspoonful of the jam on to a cold saucer and put in the fridge for a minute or so. If it crinkles when you run a finger through it, and your finger leaves a clear line in the preserve, it’s ready. If not, check it every five minutes or so.
\n6. Allow to sit for 15 minutes then spoon into clean jars and seal immediately.<\/p>\n

Enjoy on toast, on cereal or over a cake or just on a spoon
\nx\u00a0 Alison Drover<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A FEW FORAGING LINKS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

There is plenty of information available on the net about foraging, even though nothing beats a wise local for safe and tasty roadside snacking.\u00a0 Check out this video to get inspired – it looks like Brissie is a little piece of paradise for foragers.
\n