Woodruff

by Ben Reade.

This wild plant can be found in local forests during the summer. It grows in abundance. We collect large quantities of it and use it for a plethora of different recipes. When its first picked it doesn’t have much aroma, but during the drying process the distinctive smell of coumarin, the signature aroma of the exotic tonka bean really comes out strong. It can be kept dry in jars or vacuum bags and used when needed.

Here it is often used in purée such as that of pea or asparagus, but it really finds it’s natural home with beetroot, where the earthy flavour of the beets and the woodruff really have an opportunity to get intimate. It can also be used in sweets, try using it in the place of vanilla, to infuse a custard or cream.