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Whether you want to increase your knowledge of worldly cuisine or you are simply looking for something a bit special to add to your cooking, you may have found what you were looking for when it comes to the samphire. This plant has a long history in England, and they were often eaten in a wide variety of ways. They were mentioned by Shakespeare in the immortal tragedy of King Lear, and in times past, they were also used to make glass and soap, leading to their common name of glasswort. Today, however, the samphire plant is used in cooking in a variety of different ways.

First and most simply, the samphire can be eaten raw. During May and early June, the samphire plant is in season, and then it can simply picked and eaten. The taste is said to be very crisp and tender, and the stalks are an excellent addition to salad. Though they are quite tasty just as they are, people will often add a vinaigrette dressing as well as salt or pepper to the stalks. At this point in their growth cycle, when they are still new and tender, they are quite sweet, but later on in the season, they will grow more bitter.

When the samphire grows bitter, it is still quite edible, but it should be blanched. Simply stick the stalks into boiling water and you’ll find that the bitterness as well as the excess salt will be cooked right out. This is also a hint that eating this pant when it is boiled is a wonderful idea. Take some time and see what you can get simply by sauteeing it in a pan with butter and garlic, along with whatever herbs sound appealing to you. Garlic powder, parsley, and rosemary are also excellent when put with this plant.

You’ll also find that samphire is an excellent accompaniment to fish and poultry. The pleasant texture of this plant complements the flaky and tender flesh of white fish quite well. Red mullet is constantly paired with this plant, as is pan-fried salmon. You’ll also find that samphire is an excellent plant to pickle, and that it has been served cold and pickled in England for hundreds of years. A simple mixture of vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar can complement samphire quite well, and you can always try creating your own recipe.

When you are thinking about cooking something that is a little bit off the beaten path for you, consider what you can make when you buy some samphire at the store!