Forage to Fork

The fertile lands around our islands provide a rich treasure trove of edible plants and flowers that can provide a flourish of flavour to seasonal plates.

With our proud ethos of sourcing local ingredients, foraging can be a rewarding way to deepen our understanding of the environment while connecting directly with nature. Nicolas Valmagna, Executive Head Chef of Grand Jersey Hotel, took us on a treasure hunt around the headland of St Brelade’s Bay to uncover some delicious edible treats that you’ll often find complementing his dishes. Here are his top foraging finds.

Pennywort

A low-growing, creeping plant with vivid green shield-shaped leaves, pennywort thrives on our damp, shady coastal paths. Its subtle peppery flavour makes it the perfect garnish for seafood dishes, particularly oysters, and it also works beautifully in salads.

Seabeet

Often known as the ‘spinach of the sea’, seabeet can typically be found on cliffs and dunes and is recognisable by its thick, triangular leaves. With a flavour profile somewhere between spinach and beetroot, it’s a fantastic accompaniment to rich red meats such as venison.

Spring Beauty

Moist woodland edges and shady coastal slopes provide the perfect habitat for sprightly spring beauty. While its flavour may be subtle, the plant’s delicate white to pale pink flowers offer a pretty flourish that works well as a garnish or in salads.

Rock Samphire

Also known as ‘sea fennel’, rock samphire is a classic coastal herb that grows abundantly on sea cliffs and rocky shorelines. Prized for its salty, aromatic flavour, it pairs particularly well with fish, especially seabass and turbot.

Sorrel

Growing widely on clifftops, dry banks and hedgerows, sorrel is another well-known coastal herb. Its distinctive lemony flavour makes it popular in fish dishes, soups and salads. Nicolas takes a novel approach by incorporating it into delicious homemade sorbet.

Alyssum

Easily identified by its fragrant clusters of tiny flowers, alyssum is often found adorning coastal walls, gardens and sandy banks. It is a beautiful flower, with bright white and pink blooms, and its honey-like flavour makes it the perfect garnish for sweet desserts.