Rock Samphire: an underrated treasure!

Rock samphire, this valuable plant, was first discovered by the ancient Greeks. Hippocrates was very fond of it, and so was famous botanist Dioscorides. It was used since their time in ancient Greek cuisine.

But what is rock samphire, and why do I think it is so valuable? Well, first of all: Rock samphire is an edible, fragrant plant with a strong aroma and taste, which is dribbled by the salty wind of the sea -as it grows near it- and is truly saturated in aromas. It has diuretic properties and helps in the release of toxins. It is antibiotic and antibacterial, and is rich in vitamin C. Just 100 gr of the herb meets the body’s daily needs for this vitamin -which I was shocked to learn! And last but not least, it contains omega-3 and omega-6 fats.

Now, gastronomically, we can safely say that we are talking about a treasure! What amazed me the most, was that rock samphire goes well with almost anything! Meat, fish, legumes, greens… It is rather shocking that this plant was overlooked in the cuisines for many years… I couldn’t find why, no matter how hard I tried. But thankfully, recently you can find it literally everywhere! From the tavern that is in the middle of nowhere, to the most gourmet and fine dining restaurants all over the world! There is a reason why many celebrity chefs use it, such as Gordon Ramsey, Jamie Oliver and Allain Ducasse.

Going back to the beginning of this article, I can tell you that I was very sceptical about the herb. Anthi, the producer/client/now-friend, encouraged me to try it. Not wanting to insult her, I accepted, and I remember going from “yes, thank you, please give me just a small piece” to “GIVE ME THAT JAR!!!!!”