Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
LATIN NAME
Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima
ALSO KNOWN AS
Sea spinach
SEASONALITY
From late March
HABITAT
Upper beach, pebble beaches, coastal paths, cliff tops. Common around most of the British Isles, though less so in the far north of Scotland
MORE RECIPES
Chard and new potatoes with paprika and fennel; Henakopita with garam masala and eggs; Spinach, egg and potato curry
If you love spinach and Swiss chard, then sea beet will certainly float your boat. You can use this delicious leaf in place of either, or indeed of pretty much any leafy green vegetable, in countless recipes, from tarts and soups to curries and bhajis. But you won’t find sea beet in the shops.
Sea beet is a wild plant, with fleshy, sometimes red-tinged leaves, which look like a more leathery version of spinach, and nodding flower spikes in summer. As you would expect, it’s usually found by the sea – generally on cliff-tops or paths, well above the tideline (but within the reach of the sea spray).
As with many wild greens, the early season growth is the most sweet and tender. Start keeping your eye out for sea beet’s thick, glossy clumps from late March. The leaves can be picked right through to the winter, but as with many leafy greens, this plant is less tasty when it has thrown its energy into flowering. The beet-like root, while edible, should not be dug up without the permission of the landowner.
Once home, wash sea beet leaves thoroughly (changing the water at least once) and remove the tough stalks. Steam it, wilt it in boiling water (then squeeze out excess liquid and chop) or sweat it down in a pan with butter, then serve just as it is, well seasoned with black pepper. Or try a creamed sea beet gratin – the cooked, chopped leaves folded into a good béchamel, topped with cheese and breadcrumbs and grilled – one of my all-time favourite foraged-veg meals.
SEA BEET AND SMOKED POLLACK PASTIES
Glorious picnic fare, these golden-crusted pastry parcels are bursting with smoky, sea-scented deliciousness. They’re also excellent made with spinach or chard. Makes 4
Shortcrust pastry (see Jerusalem Artichoke and Seaweed Tart) OR home-made rough puff pastry (see Pruney Sausage Rolls), made with 400g flour and 200g butter
1 egg, beaten with a little milk, to glaze
FOR THE FILLING
200g sea beet
350–400g smoked pollack or smoked haddock
15g butter
1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tbsp plain flour
150ml double cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp chopped dill
Sea salt and black pepper
Remove the coarse stems from the sea beet. Wash the leaves, shake off excess water and place them in a large pan. Season with a little salt and pepper, cover and cook over a medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes or until wilted and tender. Meanwhile, cut the fish into finger-sized strips, checking for pin-bones as you do so.
Drain the sea beet and leave until cool enough to handle, then squeeze out the excess water and roughly chop.
Put the butter and oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When bubbling, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often for 8–10 minutes or until starting to colour. Sprinkle over the flour, stir well and cook for a further minute. Stir in the cream, then the fish, chopped sea beet, mustard, dill and some salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes more – the cream will thicken quickly. You don’t need to cook the fish through at this point. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/Gas 5 and line a baking tray with baking parchment or a silicone liner (with rough puff pastry, use a baking tray with a lip as the pastry may leak a little butter). Divide the pastry into 4 equal pieces. Roll out each one to a thickness of 4–5mm then cut a circle from each, about 20cm in diameter.
Place one quarter of the sea beet filling on one half of each pastry circle, leaving a 2–3cm margin at the edge. Brush beaten egg over the pastry edge, next to the filling. Fold over the pastry to encase the filling and crimp the edges together securely. Repeat for each pasty, brush the tops with more egg wash, and place on the prepared baking tray.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Allow the pasties to cool a little, or completely, before eating.
