Not every food from the sea has tentacles, shells, or fins. Even vegetarians can benefit from sustainable ocean harvest. Seaweed, or marine alga, is found all over the world, and has fed humankind for millennia. Of the thousands of species of seaweed that are known to exist, at least 110 of them are edible, and none is known to be poisonous. Marine algae are one of the richest plant-based sources of calcium, and excellent sources of iodine; different varieties also contain mineral nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium, and others, as well as high levels of protein in some, e.g. spirulina.
Here’s a quick picture quiz - identify these common species! (Answers at the bottom).
The American diet has received most of its culinary seaweed culture from Japan, Korea, and China, where seaweed cultivation operations are major industries. While most Americans are familiar with wrapping sushi rolls in brittle sheets of nori, not everyone is aware that many desserts and gels use agar agar as a vegetarian gelatin substitute. Agars have the advantage of being able to solidify while warm, and don’t require refrigeration in order to set.
If you’re curious about seaweed foods but not quite ready to take the leap to eating a salad of something that looks like it washed up on the beach, try kelp pickles first. They’re just as zingy and tasty as those made from cucumbers or other more familiar garden vegetables grown in dirt. They’re also just as simple to make.
1. You can harvest your own kelp on the beach; my source says that the best picking time is in May and June, but you can find it year-round in many places along the coast. Don’t pick kelp that have white splotches, as they’re over the hill. Rinse them well, but you don’t need to peel or soak them. Cut the “hair” off the heads; the best pickles come from the bulb and stem. Chop them into the size pickles you’d like.
2. Combine everything but the kelp and onions in a large soup pot, then add the vegetables and bring to a boil.
3. Pack them into sterilized jars and then process for 10 minutes in boiling water. Alternatively, you can pack your jars and then use a canner - follow the canner’s instructions for processing.
4. Let stand for about a month for the best flavor before eating. Makes about 8 pints.
Answers to the seaweed quiz - clockwise, from the top left:
This preparation produces one of the juiciest, most flavorful fillets of halibut we’ve yet found – both light and rich, with just enough tang to cut the creaminess of the coating.Serve with steamed rice and a spicy vegetable stir fry, or with roasted baby red potatoes and braised greens with garlic.
You will need:
1 lb. halibut fillet – the thicker, the better, skin removed; remember that this preparation works great with any amount of fish, so adjust accordingly
1 cup high-quality mayonnaise
1 lemon, zested and squeezed, juice set aside
1 generous handful fresh basil, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
splash of olive oil
1.Rinse the halibut under cold running water, dust it with salt, and place in a baking pan or small cast-iron skillet, along with a splash of olive oil.Turn the fish to coat and set aside.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.Combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, juice, and basil in a small bowl.Grind in some freshly cracked black pepper.Taste and balance the seasonings – the more intense, the better.
3.Spoon the sauce over the halibut, tucking some beneath the fillet and smearing the rest over the top.The sauce should form a seal over the fish, which will lock in the juices and keep it moist as it cooks.Save some sauce for the end.
4.Cook until the halibut is opaque all the way through the thickest part; check with a fork – it should be flaky but still firm.
5.In last few minutes of cooking, cover the fish with the remaining sauce and turn the oven to broil.Let the sauce bubble and brown on top, forming a nice crust.Keep an eye on it, and don’t let it burn.
Serve immediately.Makes great leftovers or cold sandwiches the next day!
This is one of the easiest, quickest preparations I’ve tried, but don’t let its simplicity fool you - the flavors are complex and well suited to a variety of sides or servings. I used black cod, which has a tender and flaky consistency that responds well to broiling; the heat of the spices balances the flavorful oil of the fish and brings out the roasted quality that comes from high-temperature cooking. Black cod also has even more healthy Omega-3s than salmon! Any dense white fish would work, however - try halibut, mackerel, or even mahi mahi, although the more delicate the flavor of the fish, the more likely it is to be overpowered by the spice.
You will need:
1 lb. black cod or other dense, flaky white fish; a thick fillet works nicely and doesn’t dry out
1-2 T butter (salted)
1 T ground chipotle; chipotles are jalapenos that have been roasted and smoked - you can get them ground to a powder at most stores that sell spices in bulk. For this recipe, a fine powder should be used, but if all you can find is adobo, or canned chipotles in sauce, then try that. The result will likely be hotter and less delicate, but very tasty.
2 limes - one juiced, one wedged
a handful of cilantro, minced
1 vegetable bouillon cube, dissolved in warm water
splash of olive oil
an oven-proof casserole dish
1. If the fish is frozen, force-thaw it, and then rinse it under cold running water. Preheat your broiler.
2. Splash your baking dish with olive oil, and then set your fillet in it, turning it over a couple of times to coat it. Dust the fish liberally with salt, and then set it aside.
3. Melt the butter and add the chipotle powder and half of the lime juice. Mix it all together with a fork, and then pour it over the top of the fish, trying to keep as much on the fillet itself as possible. Rub it in a little with your hands, making sure it’s well-coated.
4. Sprinkle half the cilantro onto the surface of the fish, and then slide the dish under the broiler. I keep the top rack of the oven about 10 inches away from the broiler to prevent burning.
5. Cook the fish until the chipotle becomes fragrant - about 7 minutes. Pour half of the vegetable stock into the baking dish, and spoon some over the top of the fish.
6. Continue to let the fish cook, basting it occasionally, until it is flaky and opaque in its thickest part. Test periodically with a fork. Add broth as needed to keep some liquid in the bottom of the pan, but don’t smother the fish - too much liquid, and it will poach rather than broil. We just want to keep it moist and still let the edges crisp.
Serve in a dish that holds juice, and spoon the butter-broth mixture over each portion. Toss on the remaining cilantro and lime juice, and offer extra wedges of lime at the table. This preparation goes beautifully with Asian-style fried rice, sesame noodles, Cuban rice and beans, and astringent green salads. The leftovers make excellent filling for fish tacos - just add black beans and cabbage slaw!
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