samphire

Definition

A succulent coastal plant with fleshy, pickle-like stems that are edible and prized in Mediterranean and British cuisines for their salty, crisp flavor.

Example Usage

The chef garnished the fish with a bundle of fresh samphire sautéed in butter.

Origin

From French 'herbe de Saint-Pierre' (St. Peter's herb), later corrupted to 'samphire' in English.

Fun Fact

Samphire is also called glasswort because it was historically burned to produce soda ash used in glassmaking.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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