Sweet Cicely Chicken

Last night I went to bed feeling sad that the weather was thwarting my weekend camping plans. Then I woke up this morning to a completely new forecast - it would appear that the sun is shining on me, after all. So I packed the tent and the pup and headed North.

I found a beautiful wee spot on the banks of the River Tay, just South of Pitlochry. The best bit about this spot? It is surrounded by Sweet Cicely!

Sweet Cicely does look very similar to a few other plants, and significantly similar to deadly Hemlock, so please ensure you know what you are picking before you eat it. Sweet Cicely smells like aniseed, so one way of identifying it is to rub the leaves between your fingers and then smell them. If it doesn't smell like aniseed, then it isn't Sweet Cicely.

Today I cooked with the leaves, but later in the season you can also eat the green seeds - they add a sweetness, so are often used as a sugar subsitute. The roots are also edible and can be prepared in dishes as a substitute for Fennel.

Campfire Sweet Cicely and Chicken

Ingredients:
Oil
2 chicken breasts - diced
150ml creme fraiche
1 red onion - finely chopped
Small handful of Sweet Cicely leaves
Salt
Pepper

Method:
Cook onion in oil until softened
Brown chicken with onions
Add Sweet Cicely and allow to wilt
Add creme fraiche and stir well to combine all ingredients
Cook until chicken is cooked through (about 5mins)
Season and serve

I have to say that this meal was absolutely delicious and will be added to my go-to recipes for camping. I'm off to enjoy the sun, now. Until next time - Happy Foraging! X

St. George's Stroganoff

Today, as I parked my car at work, a few twinkles of white caught my eye, so I went to explore...

There, snuggled and huddled together in the undergrowth, were a family of St. George's mushrooms. The first mushrooms of my 2015 season and what an excellent start to the day!

St George's Mushrooms are so-named because they arrive around St George's Day (23rd April), although I've only ever seen them towards the end of May.

I am still wary about picking gilled mushrooms, because there are many poisonous wild varieties. Gilled mushrooms are the most similar to cultivated mushrooms and are very different (aesthetically) from Chanterelle (vein-like gills), Boletes (pored) and Hedgehogs (toothed).

I had hoped to get out camping this weekend, but the wind is picking up and thunderstorms are forecast. Instead, I got out my campstove and made Mushroom Stroganoff on my patio. At least it was outdoors!

I've enjoyed watching Spring growing around me, and am delighted to see Sweet Cicely appearing, now. I can sense a Sweet Cicely Chicken (perhaps even Chicken-of-the-Woods) concoction on the horizon. Until we meet again, Happy Foraging x