Going wild in Wellsford

Rabbit, goat and some tasty worms washed down with rose petal cordial were all on the menu of a North Tec wild food tasting day in Wellsford last month.

Sustainable Rural Development tutor Chris McIvor says the course work this year included a special topic on the development of a possible community project.

“The students decided that Wellsford would be an ideal venue for a Wild Food Festival,” she said. “They decided to host a tasting afternoon and invite locals along who might be interested in picking up the idea.”

Chris said it would make sense to hold the festival perhaps in conjunction with the annual pig hunters weigh-in.

“Wellsford is a great area for wild food and autumn is the best time to forage. There’s plenty there if you know what to look for – eels, mullet, dandelions, plantains, watercress, seaweeds, rabbits and possums to name just a few.”

For more information about the sustainable rural development courses for next year, visit www.northland.ac.nz.

The following is one of the recipes used on the course:

Kaipara Fried Possum

2 possum, skinned and gutted
4 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
5 fronds of thyme
1 branch rosemary
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup flour
½ cup cornflour
½ cup fine cornmeal
2-3 eggs
40 grams butter

Chop the possum into bite size pieces and leave to dry on some paper towels for 15 mins. Whisk the eggs. Mix the flour, cornflour and cornmeal well in a bowl. Finely mince the herbs and seasoning together and place into a separate bowl, and fork into the butter. Take pieces of possum and leave them to coat in the egg wash for about 30 seconds a piece. From the egg wash, transfer a piece at a time into the colour mix, coating it fully. In a small pot, gently sauté (brown) the pieces in the herb butter. Then, transfer to an oven rack and finish cooking at 180 C for 25 mins.

PHOTO: Sustainable rural development students Gloria Pratt (left), of Wellsford, and Olive Summerton, of Oruawharo, help prepare food for the wild food tasting day.