Braised Leeks & Concrete

Wild Lunch on Chesil Beach

By The Bimbler

It’s cold and overcast with rain clouds closing in but I’m on a mission to cook lunch on the beach

a half pack of rice Noodles emerge from the depths of my rucksack then I grub around in the undergrowth, striking culinary gold with Wild Leeks and Wild Parsnip.

Larger stones form the surround of my makeshift fire which I dig out and line with dry seaweed to minimise the risk of exploding pebbles

with plenty of driftwood on the high tideline its not long before a small fire is established

While the fire burns down to useable embers I explore the concrete structure behind which I’m sheltered from the wind.

There are numerous WW2 ‘Hardened Field Defences’ dotted along the coast… this one slowly tilting towards the sea.

This simple square design was known as a ‘Type 26’ but to me they will always be known simply as Pillboxes

soon the embers are ready for cooking so I place a metal grill over the intense heat. After a quick rub with olive oil the foraged Leeks and Parsnip go on to Braise

While they caramelise I fry a couple of leek seeds and soften up the rice noodles

everything comes together perfectly, the wild vegetables are so tender they fall apart to the touch

within a 60 seconds it’s ready to go… the flavours are perfect for the setting and really nourishing.

After impromptu lunch I’m brought back from my culinary adventure by the first dots of rain so quickly pack up and make sure to leave no trace of my visit before taking off homewards with a head full of outdoor cooking experiments to try out over the coming months. I hope you can join me!