Secret to Great Sea Asparagus
It goes by many names and is a relatively new menu item for many people.
It looks like small asparagus and smells like it is grown in the sea. You may have seen it at your grocery store’s fish counter, labeled any-number-of-ways: sea beans, sea fennel, samphire, marsh samphire, sea pickle, pickleweed and glasswort. On the West Coast, most refer to it as “sea asparagus” and overcoming their briny flavour to enjoying their nicely textured, emerald-green shoots and branches is a challenge.In British Columbia, sea asparagus grows naturally during spring and summer. Haida Gwaii is prolific and popular source for sea asparagus, but it can be found in most B.C. coastal waters, including along the coastal shores of Tofino, Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Long Beach Lodge Resort chef Ian Riddick refers to sea asparagus as “samphire.” He likes to preserve samphire when it's plentiful, so it can be used as an accent to menu items year round.
"Samphire is available in coastal areas in British Columbia from June –July, coinciding with garlic scape season, so I like to add one to each jar," says Ian.
Chef was kind enough to share his pickled sea asparagus recipe. Enjoy:
Pickled sea asparagus
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, divided
- 24 whole black peppercorns, divided
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, divided
- 4 handfuls sea asparagus, rinsed in fresh water, enough to fill 4 jars
- 4 1-cm piece ginger root, divided
- 4 whole garlic scape, or 8 garlic cloves, divided
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups white wine vinegar
- Sterilize 4 500-mL jars and lids in a large pot of boiling water.
When jars are cool enough to handle, divide mustard seeds, peppercorns and coriander seeds evenly between jars. Pack each jar half full with sea asparagus. Divide ginger and garlic scape evenly between jars, and insert around sea asparagus. Fill jars with remaining sea asparagus.
In a separate pot over high heat, bring water and vinegar to a boil. Ladle liquid into the jars, leaving about 1/2-inch head space between the top of the sea asparagus and the lip of the jar. Wipe jar edge with clean cloth and screw on sterilized lids.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, keeping the jars fully submerged the entire time. Remove and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Check lids for proper seal. Store for at least one month before using to allow flavours to develop.
Yield:
- 4 500-mL jars
- Prep Time:
- 20 minutes
- Cook Time:
- 10 minutes
