If you fancy unleashing your inner forager, keep an eye out for samphire next time you’re near the coast. This vibrant sea vegetable is a succulent halophyte, which means it grows in salty waters along shorelines, marshy shallows and on mudflats. It’s quite easy to spot, as it is bright green and closely resembles the appearance of asparagus, with thin stalks that branch of the sides. When picking, leave the more fibrous stems in the ground and simply pinch or cut of the top of the plant – this will not only ensure that you’re avoiding as much mud as possible, but there’s also a high chance that the samphire will continue to grow for others to enjoy.
When you pop into your local supermarket, it’s most likely that you will find the marsh variety, as it is widely available. Samphire rock is the second type – this is not as popular as samphire marsh as many people find the smell and taste a little unpleasant. In fact, samphire rock was initially picked as people wanted to remove the bad smell that it gave of. Try to buy samphire in smaller quantities, as it doesn’t keep well for very long. If you wrap it up tightly in a damp cloth and store it in the fridge straight away it should last for a few days. It’s also best to buy it in peak season, which is between May and August. Similar to most veg, avoid buying samphire that looks limp or dull.