Catkin Crumb Coating is a traditional British recipe for a classic method of isolating catkin pollen grains, and frying with spices for use as a breadcrumb substitute. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Catkin Crumb Coating.
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Fancy something a little more adventurous than the usual breadcrumbs for coating your fish, meat, vegetables etc? Well, these catkin crumbs can be made using hazel or beech catkins and they can be used anywhere you would use breadcrumbs.
February is one of the very leanest months for wild foods. The greens of March haven't emerged yet and it's generally too cold for fungi. Apart from things like black mustard greens and oak moss (which is really more of a spice) there's very little else. One of the few items in abundance in February are catkins. Normally I would think of hazel catkins, but having moved to an area with beech woodland and hazel groves in abundance I've become aware of beech catkins too. Both are structurally and botanically quite similar, with pollen pods emerging from a central stem. It's possible to collect the pollen on a sunny day, but the pollen pods are also edible and it's these that are used in this recipe.
This is one of the uses for catkins processed as in the candied catkins up to the point where it says 'This is the stage at which you can use the catkins for preparing biscuits and cookies' in the recipe. You can use either hazel or beech catkins (or a blend) in this recipe.
Ingredients:
150g hazel or beech catkins (processed as in the candied catkins recipe)
For the Savoury Version:
1/2 tsp Herbes De Provence
1/4 tsp chilli powder
For the Sweet Version:
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 180C. Spread the catkins on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until dry and crumbly to the touch. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 5 minutes. Note that you want to to dry them out, not burn them.
Crumble up the catkins with your fingers. Throw away the stringy bits in the middle.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Mix together the spices, then add to oil and heat for 1 minute to bloom.
Add the crumbled hazel catkins and mix with a spoon into the spices over low heat. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
Once cooled, use as a coating just as you would seasoned breadcrumbs.
