Spring light is lingering longer into the early evening and gorse flowers are blooming all over the countryside. Their little flower petals are like yellow headlights that brighten up the landscape. Picked from their thorny green stems, the flowers have a distinct smell of coconut.
Collecting them, I try and imagine the ways in which I can add them to the repertoire of things that we produce in Aniar. Gorse wine is perhaps the first thing that springs to mind. This full-bodied drink has a wonderful sweet vanilla aftertaste. But to make a batch, you’ll need five litres of these little yellow petals and about nine months of waiting to mature the wine. You’ll find a few recipes online.
Both gin and vodka can also be flavoured with gorse flowers. It’s very simple and only takes three to four weeks to macerate. Get a jar of gorse flowers. Cover with gin or vodka. Seal. Wait. Drink.
Gorse vinegar would add a nice acidity to the many white fish that are in season at the moment. Fillets of John Dory can be turned into a wonderful Irish ceviche with some nice Irish rapeseed oil and a good dash of gorse vinegar.
To make the vinegar, boil 250ml of white wine vinegar and 100g of sugar. Remove from the heat and add the zest of an orange, a lemon and as many gorse flowers as you can submerge in the vinegar. Allow to infuse overnight, at least, if not longer.
Mix equal quantities of oil and vinegar and then marinate the fillet of fish with some finely diced foraged three-cornered leek stems.
For a little garnish, I’d use some of the baby radish and turnip that have just come into season. Slice or quarter them and toss through the marinade. Finish by decorating the plate with gorse and three-cornered leek flowers and laying a little chopped dandelion around the fish for additional bitterness. Eat with a cool glass of Picpoul de Pinet.
