Smag på naturen

Join Benjamin as he explores North Jutland and cooks under the open sky.

Photo: Samuel Kanu

Everywhere in the Jutlandic nature, it's teeming with edible beach herbs, seaweed varieties, mushrooms, berries, and bitter salads. Explore nature's own pantry.

The nature is divided into zones: water, beach, heath, and forest. And in all of these zones, North Jutland offers a unique treasure trove of edible things that you can easily fish, harvest, pick, gather, and collect. Let's start with the sea:

Water

HARVEST AND CATCH

In North Jutland, there are up to 33 different types of seaweed, such as sea lettuce, bladderwrack, and kelp, all of which are edible. Unfortunately, not many people use them in cooking, which is a shame because they contain many good things, including vitamins, minerals, and omega-3. In addition to seaweed, there are of course other good things in the sea, especially plaice and shrimp, which are popular to eat. So, by all means, cast your line in the Kattegat when you're there.

Join Benjamin around North Jutland and cook outdoors. Watch Benjamin make a "Læsødog" on Læsø Island.

To follow Benjamin's recipe, you'll need:

  • Sour cream
  • Mayonnaise
  • Chives
  • Seaweed mustard
  • Læsø honey
  • Læsø salt
  • Fresh lobster tails
  • Hot dog buns
  • Butter
  • Seaweed chips from Læsø

In the video, you can see how Benjamin uses the ingredients to make a true Læsødog.

Benjamin has been on Læsø to get fresh lobster tails from the waters around the island.

Beach

FORAGE

Moving up from the sea and onto the beach, you'll find a lot of beach herbs, such as sea beet and sea kale. These bitter salads provide saltiness and umami and are perfect in your gin & tonic as well as in your summer salad. The peak season is March to June.

Heath

GATHER

On the heath, you can gather a variety of delicious berries: sea buckthorn, rose hips, juniper berries, and lingonberries - all ideal for everything from lemonades to sauces. Many flowers are also great in cooking - such as rose hips and pansies.

Join Benjamin at the Buried Church and see a delicious dish featuring whiting and sea buckthorn sauce.

To follow Benjamin's recipe, you'll need:

  • Freshly picked sea buckthorn
  • Sugar
  • Asparagus
  • Whiting
  • Butter
  • Hazelnuts

Watch how Benjamin uses the ingredients to make a delicious dish of whiting with sea buckthorn sauce in his video.

Benjamin has gathered delicious sea buckthorn in the area around the Buried Church near Skagen, a dune plantation with plenty of opportunities to gather sea buckthorn and other delicious ingredients.

Forest

PICK AND FORAGE

In the forest, there are plenty of dandelions, ground elder, and ramsons. Also, pick spruce shoots, which provide a good acidity to your dishes, and finally: Throughout the entire autumn season, the North Jutland forest floor is brimming with mushrooms. You'll generally find plenty of different edible mushrooms, and chanterelles are always a sure winner.

Join Benjamin at Hammer Hills and see his take on a chanterelle toast.

To follow Benjamin's recipe, you'll need:

  • Shallots
  • Freshly picked chanterelles from Hammer Hills
  • Butter
  • White wine
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Sourdough bread

Watch how Benjamin uses the ingredients to make a delicious chanterelle toast in his video.

The area where Benjamin has been foraging is called Hammer Hills. It's an extremely beautiful natural area where you can enjoy forested hills, steep ravines, and, most importantly, ample opportunities to pick plenty of mushrooms.

Remember to use the website vildmad.dk to find information about ingredients, foraging areas, recipes, and much more.

If you're curious about what else Benjamin does, you can follow him on his Instagram @benjaminkanu_

 

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