Pine needle oil? Absolutely! This fragrant, plant-based oil that you can make yourself is delicious on a salad or a creamy risotto. The fresh green needles of the Scots pine are packed with essential oils and have a surprising hint of citrus. And good news: you can pick them almost all year round. In this article, wild-picking expert Katja Wezel from wilderlust.nl how to make pine needle oil yourself and what to look out for when foraging. This is how you literally bring the forest into a bottle!
Are pine trees edible?
The Scots pine is one of the most common trees in the Netherlands. You'll find it mainly in sandy forests, dunes, and heathlands – and that's no coincidence. This quintessential Dutch tree thrives on poor soil and is incredibly strong. The long, sturdy needles grow in pairs on a twig, which is a handy mnemonic: 'den' (pine) 'duo' (two). This way, you won't confuse it with the spruce (whose needles grow singly) or the larch (which bears them in a whole troop). Be careful: never mistake the pine for the yew. It looks like a conifer, but it is highly poisonous.
Pine needles can be picked all year round, but especially in spring and early summer, the needles are full of vitamin C, essential oils, and aromatic substances that will enhance your dishes and your health. boost give. And even more fun: with this tree you can make many more delicious things such as a boughs of pine trees or a Dandelion and young pine cone honey.
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Recipe: Making Pine Needle Oil
Kitchenware
- Clean 1-litre preserving jar
- fine sieve or cheesecloth
- swing-top bottle for storage
Ingredients
- 1 l neutral oil such as sunflower oil
- 350 g pine needles preferably young and fresh green
- 1 el Crushed black peppercorns
- Peel of 1 organic lime Only the green part, not the white part
Instructions
- Pick fresh pine needles in a clean spot. Rinse them briefly and pat them dry.
- Put the pine needles in a clean (!) Kilner jar. How to clean glass jars and bottles thoroughly? First, pour boiling water over them (don't forget the lid) and then place the jar/bottle in an oven at 100°C for ten minutes.
- Add the lime zest. Make sure you only use the green-yellow part of the zest, without the white underneath – that makes the oil bitter.
- Add the crushed peppercorns.
- Place the pot in a warm spot for 2 days, such as near a radiator or on a sunny windowsill. Shake or stir occasionally.
- Strain the oil through a cheesecloth (or sieve) into a clean (!) bottle after two days. Do not leave it any longer, otherwise the oil will become bitter.
- Keep the oil cool and dark. It will keep for several weeks.
Neat game picking
Cooking with pine needles, twigs and apples is wonderful to do, but don't forget: foraging is officially forbidden in the Netherlands and is often only tolerated. In some places stricter rules apply, or it is absolutely not allowed. And you are also not allowed to pick certain species. Therefore, always pick with respect for nature: only for personal use, never take more than you need, and leave enough for animals, the tree itself, and other nature lovers. Want to know more about what to look out for? Here is a handy overview of the game picking rules.
Would you also like to go on the road with Katja? Check out her website wilderlust.nl with all the information about its wild-picking walks and courses.
More wild foraging ideas for spring
- Also see: make loose butter.
- Also see: Making dandelion syrup.
- Also see: Wild garlic pesto with ground elder.
Photo credits: Wilderlust (dennentak), Rachel Claire, Pexels (olie in keuken), Mdsnmdsnmdsn, Pexels (salade).
