An A-Z of unusual ingredients

A is for agar-agar

A tasteless vegetarian alternative to gelatine made from boiled and dried seaweed. It is a white, semi-translucent gelatinous substance. Uses: Can be used as a setting agent in jellies, desserts and custard. It is also useful as a thickener for soups and ice cream, as a clarifying agent in brewing, or even as a laxative. Useful website: The Vegetarian Society Bloggers' recipe: Agar-agar & cocoa pudding Also known as: Kanten, Japanese gelatine, agal-agal, China grass

And also for acai, a berry from central and south America, used in juices and sorbets Acerola, a sweet, nutritious cherry-like fruit used in desserts and preserves - and Innocent smoothies Argan oil, a rare, healthy and expensive oil from the fruit of the argan tree, found in north Africa

B is for boletes

Various fungi belonging to the genus Boletus, including the delicious cep (aka porcini, penny bun), tête de nègre, cèpe des pins and the cèpe d'été. Some other boletes are poisonous; all are characterised by the sponge-like texture of the underside of the cap. Uses: Can be used in a variety of dishes including risottos, soups and pasta. Useful website: Roger's mushrooms Bloggers' recipe: Porcini parmesan

And also for barberry, a tart, bright red berry that is candied, dried or pickled, or cooked in pies and preserves Blachan, a pungent, brown dried shrimp paste used in south-east Asian cuisine Bonito flakes, dried, fermented and smoked tuna, used in Japanese cooking to make dashi stock

C is for cardoon

A large, stalky edible thistle that "resembles a giant bunch of wide, flat celery", according to The Food Lover's Companion. It is related to the globe artichoke and tastes like a cross between artichoke, celery and salsify. It was popular in England in the 19th century, and is still common in southern France, Italy and Spain. Uses: Stems can be blanched and used in salads, soups and stews; boiled and served with cheese sauce; braised; baked; battered and fried; or eaten raw with bagna cauda. The flower buds can be eaten like the globe artichoke. The cardoon's oil may also be useful as a source of biofuel. Useful website: Royal Horticultural Society Bloggers' recipe: Cardoon gratin Also known as: Artichoke thistle, cardone, cardoni or cardi

And also for carambola, another name for star fruit Carob, pods from a tropical tree used in baking and confectionery as a healthier alternative to chocolate Cobnuts, a type of hazelnut, native to Britain

D is for daikon

A large Asian radish with crunchy flesh and a mild peppery flavour. Most commonly shaped like a giant carrot with white skin and flesh, but shape and colour can vary: some have black skin, and one is large and round with white skin and bright pink flesh. Uses: Daikon is widely eaten in Japan, but is also popular in China, Korea, Vietnam and India. Raw daikon can be used in salads, as a garnish and in dipping sauces, or it can be pickled. Cooked daikon is used in soups, stews, stir-fries and curries. The leaves can be eaten as a leaf vegetable. Useful website: Eat Japan Bloggers' recipe: Braised daikon Also known as: Mooli, Japanese or Chinese radish

And also for dragon fruit, similar to the kiwi with its small, crunchy black seeds Drupe fruit, any thin-skinned fruit with soft flesh and a hard stone, including cherries, apricots and plums Durian, an infamously smelly fruit with a surprisingly delicious flavour and a custardy texture

E is for elvers

Baby eels were popular as a cheap dish until the 1970s, especially around the river Severn. They are now in short supply, supposedly due to the position of the Gulf Stream, over-fishing, pollution, disease and barriers to migration. For this reason, and because of the price (£700 per kg!), they should be eaten very rarely, if at all. Uses: Traditionally fried in bacon fat with egg, cooked like whitebait or made into elver cakes, a sort of pie. In Spain, elvers are deep-fried to make angulas al pil-pil. Useful website: Fish Online Recipe: Gloucester elvers Also known as: Glass or baby eels

And also for edamame, fresh young soybeans in the pod Endive, a leaf vegetable closely related to chicory Enoki, a mushroom with a crunchy texture and a mild taste

F is for filé powder

A seasoning made from dried and ground sassafras leaves. Uses: Used in Creole cooking to thicken and flavour gumbo and other dishes. It was originally used when okra was out of season. Useful website: Real Cajun Recipes Bloggers' recipe: Gumbo recipes Also known as: Gumbo filé

And also for fatback, the layer of fat along the back of a pig used in southern US cooking Feijoa, an aromatic fruit closely related to the guava Fugu, a pufferfish eaten as a potentially deadly delicacy in Japan

G is for gurnard

A fantastically ugly, bony fish that crawls around the sea floor, grunting. Don't let that put you off: its flesh is white, firm and low in fat, and it's easy to fillet. Best of all, it's abundant, making it a cheap and sustainable option. Uses: Fry, bake or poach it, or try it at right-on restaurants like Wild Honey Useful website: Fish Online Bloggers' recipe: Gurnard, pea puree and bacon Also known as: Crooner, croonack, gowdie and sea robin

And also for galangal, a slightly lemony member of the ginger family, used in Thai cooking Geoduck, a soft-shell clam similar to abalone and used in chowder Gram flour, made from ground chickpeas and a staple of Indian cuisine

H is for hogget

One-year-old lamb in its second spring or summer, which is considered to have a better flavour and texture than lamb, but isn't as gamey as mutton. Uses: Should have a good covering of fat and have been hung for 10-14 days, after which it can be cooked quickly and served pink. Can also be braised, roasted or used in stews and casseroles. Try it at Allium in Fairford. Useful website: Mutton Renaissance Matthew Fort's recipe: Slow-braised shoulder of hogget Also known as: Yearlings

And also for hubbard squash, a large winter squash with a grainy texture Hunza apricot, a small, hard fruit that needs to be soaked and cooked before eating in tagines or sweet dishes Hyssop, an aromatic herb similar to rosemary or lavender, used to make chartreuse

I is for ikan bilis

Dried anchovy, useful as an ingredient in its own right, or as a flavouring. Uses: Used in south-east Asian cooking, particularly in Malaysian food. It can be fried and dusted with chilli powder as a snack, or cooked with chilli paste and served with coconut rice. It can also be used to make stock or ground and added to dishes for flavour. Useful website: Malaysian Food Bloggers' recipe: Sambal ikan bilis Also known as: Dried anchovies

And also for Iberico ham, a Spanish jamon produced from black pigs that feed on acorns Idiazabal, a smoky-flavoured cheese from the Basque region of Spain Isinglass, obtained from the bladders of fish, especially sturgeon, and used in brewing