Picea spp • Spruce, Epinette • In the Kitchen

Spruce resin is probably the oldest form of chewing gum and tooth brush. New leafy soft shoots harvested in the spring are in fact the tree’s new growth; there is a 2-3 week window before they become too hard and lose their bright colour. They have a light resin taste with a hint of citrus. Preserve in vinegars, salt, sugars, syrup for desserts, compote, soups, cookies, beer, candies, herbal teas, game meat

Wild Game Kabob crusted in Spruce Shoots on Focaccia

Thanks to Jovan Dozet for the
Focaccia bread
Served with Rat Tail Radishes

Ingredients • Wild Game Kabob crusted in Spruce Shoots

  • 1 kg of wild boar stewing beef cubed
  • 500ml spruce shoots
  • 125ml flax seeds
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 250ml olive oil
  • Salt, pepper

Instructions • Wild Game Kabob crusted in Spruce Shoots

  • Combine the spruce shoots, flax seeds, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor
  • Puree until smooth,
  • In a container place meat and add marinade
  • Marinate the meat for an hour
  • Set BBQ on Medium – Low
  • The marinade should adhere to the meat – just pat down
  • BBQ for 5-10 minutes per side
  • Serve

Ingredients • Focaccia Bread

  • 6g sugar
  • 10g yeast
  • 120ml warm water
  • 375g bread flour
  • 60ml olive oil
  • 2g salt
  • 125ml dried ground cherries
  • 3 leaves Lovage, chiffonade cut

Instructions • Focaccia Bread

  • Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water, let stand for 10 minutes
  • Combine yeast mixture with flour in large bowl
  • Add water until all the flour is absorbed
  • Add ground cherries
  • Add Lovage
  • When dough holds, knead it on a lightly floured surface
  • Oil a large bowl, turn to coat dough
  • Cover with damp cloth, let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 35 minutes
  • Preheat oven to 475F
  • Punch down dough, knead briefly
  • Pat dough into a lightly greased cookie sheet
  • Brush with olive oil
  • Bake 10 minutes for light and moist OR Bake 20 minutes for crunchy and darker

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