Sea Cabbage or Silverwhips as they are know as here in Staithes or more commonly known else where as Wild Cabbage ‘brassica oleracea’.
This plant transforms Staithes into a riot of yellows… greens… with a hint of purple during May.
Even when the sea fret is present, which can be often at this time of year, it provides a lovely splash of colour.
This plant is to be found everywhere in Staithes from Cowbar Nab where the herring gulls and Kittiwakes are nesting to small nooks and cracks in walls…
Cooking with silverwhips can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it… blanch, boil, steam, roast, stir-fry or sauté… the list really is endless.
You could simple steam the tips of the silverwhips and serve them with some homemade mayonise just like you would fresh aspargus or even serve them with homemade Wild Garlic Mayonaise.
Fish Pie could be given a little extra ‘something’ if it has a base of silverwhips… simple place the steamed or boiled silverwhips in the base of a ovenproof serving dish and add your usually white sauce and fish pie mix then top with mashed potatoes (do make sure both your mash & fish pie mix are pipping hot) and pop the dish under the grill to brown before serving.
Really, silverwhips may be used in any dish as a suibsitude for broccoli or even kale.
Just a note of warning before you pick and use any wild food do check with a good plant identification book if you are at all unsure before eating it.
