Marsh samphire, also called sea beans or glasswort, is a succulent of the Salicornia family, growing in the wet sand on beaches of North America and Europe.

It’s salty, delicious, and crunchy when eaten raw, and when you cook it, you’ll notice its similarity to asparagus, hence its nickname of “sea asparagus.”

Often sold at farmers' markets, the perennial plant is abundant in the summer along salty coastal areas of North America, stretching from Canada to Mexico.

If you find the Salicornia plant, which tastes best when it's a vibrant green, do not uproot the whole plant. Instead, clip off just the thinnest, firmest shoots.

If you want to enjoy it as a snack, try tossing some chopped stalks in a salad after quickly blanching them in boiling water and dropping them in an ice bath.

It's better to skip the oven, lest you overcook the delicate stems, but you can sauté them with butter, lemon, and red pepper, add them to a frittata, or even deep-fry them.