Wild Food Guide — 'P'

Welcome to the Celtnet guide to wild foods. As this recipe site has grown it has become obvious that to allow people to replicate some of the more ancient recipes on this site (especially from the Ancient, Roman and Medieval periods it is necessary to list modern alternatives but also to produce a guide so that the curious can find the original (often wild) ingredients for themselves. These pages are an attempt at bringing all these potentially useful and often forgotten wild foods together into one place. To use this guide simply click on the first letter of your term above or below. Alternativey why not just browse through the terms. You may well find something that surprises you!

This page covers wild foods beginning with the letter 'P' and includes both common and scientific names.

This is the description page for Gutweed (Enteromorpha intestinalis) and includes a description as well as an image, if available and a selection of recipes from this site that relates to the wild foodstuff: Gutweed.

Gutweed, Enteromorpha intestinalis, (also known as Grass Kelp and Ulva compressa Linnaeus) is is a green alga (and a member of the Ulvaceae family) that grows profusely in north-western Europe, but which has a glbal distribution. The closely related species, Enteromorpha compressa and E linza are also very common around the British coast and it takes real expertise to distinguishe between them (but all are equally edible). Typically then can be found on all levels of the shore, but often thrive particularly well where there are freshwater run-offs. They can also be found in the brackish waters of estuaries and saltmarshes. They are green seaweeds, with tubular and elongate fronds that may be branched, flattened or inflated and are typically 20 to 40cm long. They are bright green in colour and may occasionally be bleached white, particularly around rock pools. They attach to the substrate by means of a minute disc-like holdfast.

Many species of Enteromorpha are summer annuals and are most abundant in June and July. They are fast-growing species that are able to reproduce quickly. The alga is cylindrical in nature which may aid it in keeping buoyant. Indeed, the form of the alga makes it look rather like green intestines (hece the Latin name).

When dried and deep fried they are edible and are the origin of the 'crispy seaweed' used as topping on many Chinese dishes (thorugh today deep-fried cabbage rather than the original seaweed). But, if you want an authentic taste then go out and collect gutweed for your next stir-fry. Young specimens can be washed and used raw in salads or they can be lightly boiled or steamed and used like a green vegetable.

Deep Fried Gutweed
Seaweed Soup
Sea Bass with Pea Purée Risotto and Gutweed Garnish
Ling and Razor Clams with New Potatoes and Pickled Sea Vegetables