Ian Barclay's Food Blog

Poor man’s asparagus

“Sea Asparagus” or “Poor man’s asparagus” are local names of Rock Samphire or Marsh Samphire, a delicious succulent that grows around the coast of the British Isles and Northern Europe. Originally it was called “Sampier” a corruption of the French,“Saint Pierre,” the patron saint of fishermen. The Old English name for Marsh Samphire was Glasswort. As early as the 14^th century glassworkers had their workshops near a good source of Marsh Samphire using its ashes in glass production. In King Lear, Shakespeare refers to the dangers of gathering the plant, calling it “a dreadful trade.”

Crisp, salty stalks of the plant gathered in May or June can be eaten raw in a salad. It is particularly delicious if blanched and served with butter to accompany fish. The 17^th century herbalist Nicholas Culpepper said it was good for curing “ill digestion and obstructions.” It is rich in iodine, phosphorus, calcium, silica, zinc, manganese and vitamins A,C and D.