- How to identify common hedgerow species<\/a><\/li>
- How to identify nuts and seeds from British trees<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
See our monthly guide to foraging responsibly<\/a> for guidance on collecting all types of wild food, and if you’re looking for a good field guide to assist you, see our recommendations for the best foraging books<\/a> and best foraging courses in the UK<\/a>. Read on for our December foraging guide to find everything you need for a coastal feast.<\/p>
December foraging guide<\/h2>
Mussels<\/h3>
Mussel power \u2013 foraging on the west coast of Scotland. Credit: Justin Lambert\/Getty. <\/figcaption> <\/figure> Mussels are perhaps the best protein-for-effort return of all foraged foods in the UK. Be ever wary of the tides as you forage on the rocks at the lowest ebb. Pick mussels only where you are sure the water is clean (a Blue Flag<\/a> beach is best). The rocky coasts of Cornwall<\/a>, Devon<\/a>, the Gower Peninsula<\/a> and Pembrokeshire<\/a> are ideal.<\/p>
You can leave the mussels in a bucket of clean saltwater overnight to allow them to purge themselves of any grit. Scrub off the beards and barnacles and cook in the French moules mariners style (steamed in butter and wine). Or why not try with a little chorizo, red wine and passata?<\/p>
Cockles<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-874011726-de9b7fb.jpg\" "\\"\\"\/")
A good harvest of cockles \u2013 cleaned and ready for cooking. Credit: Pierre Longnus\/Getty <\/figcaption> <\/figure> Cockles are harder to find than mussels \u2013 you need to dig or rake sandy beaches at low tide when vast stretches of sand are exposed. Cockle shells are a useful clue. You don\u2019t need to dig far and if you find one cockle, you\u2019re likely to find a group.<\/p>
Keep your catch overnight in clean seawater to allow them to clean themselves. The spaghetti vongole is a favourite way to eat cockles \u2013 a simple delicious pasta sauce with the cockles steamed open.<\/p>
Marsh samphire<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-514780398-aee9092.jpg\")
Marsh samphire grows on saltmarshes and beaches, whereas rock samphire is found on cliffs and rocky outcrops higher up the tide line. Credit: Getty <\/figcaption> <\/figure> This is the samphire that you find in more enterprising fishmongers but is easily foraged for \u2013 if you know the right beaches. It is found in the sandy, muddy intertidal zones, so is only exposed at low tide. Pick the tips.<\/p>
Also known as common glasswort, it has a succulent, crunchy stem and is better swiftly steamed \u2013 2-3 minutes at best \u2013 then served in unsalted butter. It can be extremely salty so wash in fresh water several times before cooking.<\/p>
Sea beet<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2018\/09\/GettyImages-684872642-c06a160.jpg\")
Sea beet season is short (December \u2013 January) so make the most of it while you can. Credit: Getty <\/figcaption> <\/figure> Sea beet looks very like thicker, shinier, juicier spinach and is the ancestor of sugar beet, beetroot, chard and perpetual spinach. However, its only ever found a few hundred yards from the sea.<\/p>
- Coastal flowers guide: how to identify<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
Wash it to get rid of salt and braise in butter. It keeps its shape but tastes like the finest spinach with a touch of added sweetness and a deeper, less bitter undertone. It can be abundant but only ever pick a few leaves from each plant you find.<\/p>
Discover more foraging guides:<\/strong><\/p>
- January foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas<\/a><\/li>
- February foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas<\/a><\/li>
- March foraging guide: best plants to find and recipe ideas<\/a><\/li> <\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n
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- February foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas<\/a><\/li>
- January foraging guide: best foods to find and recipe ideas<\/a><\/li>
- How to identify nuts and seeds from British trees<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>