The market · Vegetables · Northern and Central Europe, France and the north-west
Samphire
Marsh samphire, or glasswort: jointed, bright green stems from tidal mud, salty and crisp, like asparagus tips from the sea.
salty · crunchy · green
Kinds
- Marsh samphire
- The one fishmongers sell; summer.
- Rock samphire
- A different plant from sea cliffs, aromatic and resinous; rarely sold.
Goes with
Knowing it
- Where to buy
- Fishmongers and coastal markets in summer: bright and springy, not limp. Imported bunches turn up out of season, tougher.
- Worth knowing
- Don't salt the water. Blanch it for a minute, or just toss it in butter — overcooked it's stringy. Pull the tender green off any woody core with your teeth, like an artichoke leaf.
