Well I’ve been having fun today. Harvesting all sorts of edible tree leaves, then turning them into food for an article (and me and my son) – life’s tough, huh 😉

Above are the aforesaid Haw Leaf Swirls. I added green pesto for flavour and to help stick it all together, plus a little good-quality olive oil.

Hawthorn leaves are still ok for picking right now, especially the ones in the shade. These are still tender enough for humans to eat! They get very tough later on, and by summer, are best used just for tea.

Hawthorn leaves are small and deeply lobed. Most native hawthorns will carry thorns on their branches. The bark has a beautiful purple-bronze sheen, like metal.

Haw flowers are out now too, so from the flowering bushes I only picked some flowers and not leaves, as these will be too tough. Mayflowers are a symbol of the Celtic Beltane festival, Spring coming into Summer, and sexual power at its zenith.

Get some of that good ol’ mojo racing and drink a cup of Mayflower Tea!

The leaves, flowers and berries of Hawthorn help to lower blood pressure and regulate the heartbeat, especially due to old age cardiac arrhythmia. Regular consumption will have a useful effect (though don’t forget to check with your doctor if you suffer from cardiac issues).

Hawthorn is widely considered a very safe wild food, acting in a gentle way on the body. It does taste rather bland, so putting it with more flavourful foods and wet foods is ideal. I enjoy it in potato salad, which is nice and creamy and wet!!

Ok, here’s how to make these yummy swirls. Your kid might even eat them as you can’t taste the green stuff, only butter and tomato sauce…

Hawthorn Leaf Pesto Swirls Recipe

You will need:

• 1 mug of hawthorn leaves (or half a litre jug)
• 100g plain flour
• 2 tbsp green pesto
• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp oat mylk
• 1/2 tsp rock salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
2. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7 (220C)
3. Cube the butter and add into the flour mix, crumbling it with your hands (or a food processor if you are posh)
4. Crumble and sift the mix til the butter is a fine tilth (the consistency of good soil!)
5. Form a ball of dough, adding the oat mylk, and leave to the side for 5 mins whilst you mince up the hawthorn leaves finely. Save a couple of leaves for decoration.
6. Sprinkle some flour and some of the minced leaves on a chopping board, then roll out your dough til its roughly rectangular and about 0.5cm thick. The leaves will stick into the dough and look pretty. Hopefully.
7. Spread pesto on the rectangle of pastry and spread the rest of the hawthorn leaves out over the pesto.
8. Start from one end and roll up the pastry into a Swiss roll shape. dab a little olive oil on the end to stick it down.
9. Using a breadknife, saw carefully through each 1.5cm slice of the roll to make little swirls.
10. Oil a baking tray, then place your swirls in it. Bake for 20 mins at Gas Mk 7/220C. When they are golden brown, allow to cool.
11. Heat up some tomato sauce (yes, that staple classic of the family kitchen) and serve in a pot or drizzle over the swirls.
12. Decorate with fresh hawthorn leaves and flowers. Pwetty!!

I think I’l add some wild seeds next time, and some kimchi to the tomato sauce to make it more complex (and middle-class). Mwa-haa-haa.

Enjoy May!

Of course, there are more of my Spring and soon Summer Forages with Tapas coming up, including one at the ancient Berkhamsted Castle.

Browse my courses on the Field Courses page, or check out my e-books in my online shop, inclding my new ‘Foraged & Fermented Wild Food’.

(Or just go and make Hawthorn swirls. I’m not hiding in a bush checking up on you, I’ve too many leaves to collect …)

xx Hedgewitch Kat xx