Foraged Elderflower Pancakes

There are always a few food items to forage for at any time of year.

  Make sure you are very sure of what you are picking when it comes to forage, there are plenty of books out there with clear pictures, but when in doubt ask someone who knows.
   Also for anything you are picking which is low to the ground, make sure that it isn't where dogs can wee on it.

   Currently in mid May the nettles haven't quite come in to flower so nettle soup can still be on the menu, make it with some bacon croutons sprinkled in it and it makes a great bug busting soup.

Elderflowers

The Elder Trees are just coming in to flower and Elderflower Pancakes have always been a great favourite since I was a child. It's just a simple pancake, with elderflowers in it.

Elderflower Pancakes

Batter:

4 oz Flour
2 Eggs
1/2 pint Milk
a pinch of salt (optional)

Mix all the ingredients up in a big bowl. Whisk until smooth

Leave in a cool place for about 1/2 an hour.

Pick one stalk of elderflowers per pancake you want to make.

wash the flowers and cut from the stems(you don't need to get rid of all the green, just the thick bits)

mix the flowers into the batter.

Heat some cooking oil in frying pan (ideally non stick) and ladle enough batter to coat the frying pan evenly but thinly.

Flip the pancake once.

Serve hot with cream, icecream, lemon juice or just on it's own.

Elderflowers make lovely cordial too, or jelly.

A selection of eggs from our chickens