Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Sea Aster along with all the Sea Aster containing recipes presented on this site, with 3 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Sea Aster as a major wild food ingredient.

The Sea Aster, Aster tripolium, (also known as Sea Starwort, Pig's Ear) is a flowering plant in the Asteraceae (Aster/Daisy) family that is native to northern Europe, North Africa, saline inland areas of Europe and Central Asia. This is a coastal plant that is typically found on coastal cliffs, salt marshes, beside muddy creeks and estuaries and on the verges of brackish water. They can also occasionally be found on the verges of heavily-salted roads. In Britain they are found all the way around the coast, but are most common in the South of England and are very rare in the north-east.

This is a perennial (but typically short-lived) plant that grows up to 50cm tall (but can reach 1m tall) and bears fleshy, lanceolate leaves that are deep green in colour and have a prominent midrib. The plant flowers between July and September. The flowers are borne in clusters, are up to 2cm in diameter and have petals that vary between pale mauve and white. The flowers are hermaphrodite, are pollinated by insects and are self-fertile.

Where they grow they can be found in very dense clusters that can be very spectacular when in flower.

The leaves and young stems are edible and can be used raw or cooked like spinach. They have a very refreshing texture, and a lovely, delicate, flavour that is distinctly unique — an unusual mix of salty and sweet. The plant loves salty conditions and the leaves taste slightly salty. They marry well with all kinds of fish and shellfish. Though they can be served raw, I think they are better when pan-fried until just wilted before serving as an accompaniment or as part of the dish (they work well in a fish pie). The leaves can also be pickled for winter use. In the past the plant used to be dried and burnt and its ash (which is almost 8% sodium chloride by weight) was used as a salt substitute.

In coastal areas these are very easy to grow. But if you buy seed you can grow in any garden as long as you sprinkle the plant occasionally either with sea water or scatter over some salt (particularly in Winter).

Sea Aster leaves are generally available from fishmongers when in season. In the UK, Waitrose now sell them as well.

References:

[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants