All week, I have been foraging for wild food. Mushrooms, brambles and rose-hips have been picked, prepared and stored for winter. I am off down to the sun kissed shores of Portugal tomorrow, so I have been in a whirlwind mode to gather and store all that this bountiful season has to offer before I fly off.

I am away to unwind, eat, hike, swim and gather a diary full of colourful inspiration from my trip. I will no doubt have a few recipes to share on my return.

In the meantime, I will leave you with two delicious recipes for Rose-hip jam and scones.

Rose-hips are not used to a great extent in the UK, but in Denmark, they are widely eaten and used both at home and also commercially. So don’t be a stranger to this beautiful fruit!

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Makes 8 scones

175 g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g butter

125g porridge oats

150g whole milk

1 egg beaten

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Sift flour and baking powder in a large bowl, rub the butter with the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Stir in the oats, then beat the egg together with the milk and combine in the bowl.

Tip the dough onto a cold floured surface and press flat to 3cm thickness.

Cut out 8 disks, place on a buttered baking tray and bake at 220 degrees for 10-12 min until lightly golden.

Rose hip Jam

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Makes 8 jars

½ organic lemon, juice of

725g rose-hips

800ml water

600g sugar

1 ½ tbsp vanilla sugar

1 tbsp gelling agent

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Rinse the rose hips thoroughly, cut in half and scrape out all the seeds.

Put the fruit, water, lemon juice and vanilla sugar into a preserving pan or large heavy-based saucepan.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes. The fruit should be soft.

Tip in the sugar, stir over a very low heat until all the sugar has completely dissolved. Raise the heat, bring to a full rolling boil, then rapidly boil the rose hips for 10-12 minutes, – don’t stir though – until the setting point of 105C is reached.

Take off the heat and stir in the gelling agent, return to the heat and cook for 2 min.  Turn off the stove, and leave for 5 mins so the fruit can settle. Pour into clean, sterilized jars, label and seal immediately.