Could the humble pignut become a gourmet sensation?

A LONG forgotten staple food from medieval times could be the next big thing, a dale botanist believes.

The humble pignut, which boasts small white flowers and edible tubers, can be found in abundance across most of Europe and grows prolifically in the hay-meadow on the upper Demesnes, in Barnard Castle.
The potential to cultivate it commercially was fist mooted by Dr Dick Warren, an orchid expert who lives in the town, in an article in 2004.
He believes the plants could be cultivated to produce larger tubers and become a luxury item, sought after by fine dining restaurants like the Nova, in Copenhagen.
While Dr Warren’s article focusses on the complex relationships between plants, animals, insects and micro-organisms, specifically the relationship between the pignut and the day-flying chimney sweep moth, it also hints at their viability as a crop plant.
Dr Warren said: “Don’t be surprised if, in a few years time, the plant engineers ‘discover’ pignuts and breed them up to a giant size and we may see a new exclusive luxury vegetable on the shelves of the delicatessen – Pignuts from Teesdale.
“In past times the small tubers from these plants were harvested.
“According to Richard Mabey, in Flora Britannica, in years gone by you could dig up enough in half an hour to feed a family of four.”
He added that the plant is mentioned in William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest which confirms the importance of the little tubers.
In the play, Caliban says to Stephano: “And I with my long nails will dig thee pignuts, show thee a jay’s nest, and instruct thee how to snare the nimble marmoset.”
The pignuts on the Demesnes are only just starting to show and in a few weeks they will be in full bloom, Dr Warren said.
He described the little tubers as being about the size of a hazelnut. They also taste similar to the hazelnut and are quite crunchy.
However, people are warned not to pick them as all of the plants in the hay meadow are protected.
The Upper Demesnes Hay Meadow project was started in 2009 and has grown substantially to include a wide variety of plants including meadow buttercup, common sorrel, ribwart plantain, red clover and yellow rattle.
The yellow rattle, Dr Warren said, is important to the meadow as the parasitic flower keeps the grass low and allows other flowers to come through.
He said: “It [the meadow] is coming along well. We are getting new species every year. We were up to 85 early on, I’’m not sure how many there are now.”