Seaweed is definitely having its moment in the sun (and sea) at present. Its culinary uses go way back in history but is probably something we now associate with chinese food and japanese sushi where it is a healthy dietary staple. Years ago we took our children on a trip to Legoland and London whilst staying in Windsor. There was a chinese restaurant with a reasonable buffet which we thought would be a good introduction to chinese food. My daughter, aged 4 at the time, used a chopstick in each hand to carry seconds of crispy seaweed across from the serving platter, hovering over our drinks, to land successfully on her plate where it was consumed with enthusiasm. It's maybe no coincidence that she was really in to The Little Mermaid at the time!
Seaweed contains many nutrients with iodine, calcium, protein and vitamin C amongst them. It is low in fat and high in fibre content. We probably don't recognise that we are eating it in some forms as it is used as an additive in many foods and drinks. Seaweed flakes (dulse) can be used as seasoning.
I have been wrong in thinking that samphire is a form of seaweed when in fact it is a plant from the parsley family which grows along the shoreline and salty mudflats. Whilst harvesting it is a slow fiddly job, cooking it is a breeze as it takes merely 1-2 minutes in boiling water to soften. It has a crisp and salty flavour which, apparently, goes well with fish, but for vegetarians makes a good accompaniment to eggs and other seasonal treats such as asparagus, fennel and peas. The other night I made the following concoction and it was truly delicious.
Panfried samphire and asparagus served with 2 soft poached eggs, a drizzle of balsamic glaze and a sprinkling of grated parmesan. From pan to plate in 4 minutes - bliss! Would have been even better with some sodabread on the side.
So, even if you can't get to the seaside this summer, at least you can still have a little taste of the sea!
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