Seaweed

A kayak is a great way to collect seaweed

How many good things are there to say about seaweed? From a health perspective it seems to kick in at every level. It stimulates energy by regulating metabolism, it gives your immune system a boost. If you have a bacterial or viral infection it helps to fight it. Seaweed supports gland function, particularly the thyroid gland, and maintains healthy cells - it’s used in cancer treatments, as well as in fighting the progression of HIV. It helps your digestion because not only is it full of fibre, but it calms your digestive tract. It helps with the upper respiratory tract, fighting bronchitis and coughs. It cleanses the blood and corrects any nutritional imbalances because it’s packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Goddammit, it even halts the ageing process.

So are you eating enough of it!

Warm salad of channel wrack, carrot, orange and almonds

a handful of channel wrack (if dried, reconstitute in water for about 10 minutes)
3 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into batons
50ml soy sauce
splash of apple syrup or apple concentrate
25ml rice vinegar
1 tablespoon finely sliced orange rind
the juice of one orange
large handful flat leaved parsley
60g flaked almonds
cooking oil

Reconstitute the channel wrack if dried, by leaving in cold water for about 10 minutes. Place in a saucepan and cover with fresh water. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove the seaweed, but reserve the water. Roughly chop the seaweed, removing any stalky bits.

Place the chopped wrack in a wide saucepan and pour over 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the carrots, turn up the heat and cook until the water has reduced to just coat the vegetables. When the water has reduced, add the soy sauce, apple syrup, rice vinegar and orange juice and rind.

Saute the almonds in the cooking oil, until they go light gold. Watch them carefully, they will burn easily. Add the toasted almonds and the parsley, and serve.

Note this recipe works as a warm salad in itself, but is also good with breast of duck, or with pan-fried monkfish.

If you don’t have channel wrack, sea spaghetti makes a good substitute.


Sesame Nori Sprinkle

splash of oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon soy sauce
large handful of flaked nori, sea lettuce and sea grass

Fry the seeds in hot oil. Add the soy, reduce and then add the seaweed. Fry until crisp. (it just takes a couple of minutes). Sprinkle over rice.

Sea Spaghetti Salad

100g sea spaghetti
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
salad vegetables (see below)


Boil the spaghetti for about 5-6 minutes. Drain and marinate for 4-6 hours or overnight in the vinegar and lemon juice.

Remove from the marinade, leaving the juices in a bowl. Chop into manageable lengths.

Add 1 teaspoon mustard powder to the marinade, and stir to combine. Then add 1 tablespoon of soy and 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Return the seaweed to the bowl. You now have the basis of a lovely salad, just add lettuce, or grated carrot, or cucumber, grated celeriac or beetroot - or any combination. The photo shows sea spaghetti with raw grated beetroot and carrot.

Dilisk Butter

1 packet butter
handful chopped dilisk
juice and rind of one lemon
salt

Cream the butter in a mixer, or pound with a pestle and mortar. Add the other ingredients. This butter is especially good on warm potato bread.