The larder
vegetable
Seaweed
The wild larder that grows itself.
Scotland has more edible seaweed per mile of coast than almost anywhere on earth, and until very recently we largely ignored it. Dulse, laver, sea lettuce, kelp — they're all free, wild, and taste like the sea concentrated into a leaf. Learn to use one and you'll never buy stock cubes again.
In season: springsummerautumn
Where to find it
Foraged from clean rocky shores at low tide, or bought dried from Scottish suppliers like Mara. Never take from stagnant pools or near sewage outfalls.
Pairs with
ButterOatsMackerelWhiskySmoked fish
How to pick it
- Bright colour, no slime, springy in the hand
- Attached to a rock (never floating and dead)
- Rinse in seawater, then fresh, before you leave the beach
How to treat it
- Toast dulse in a dry pan for 20 seconds until it goes crisp
- Blanch kelp for 30 seconds to soften and remove any bitter edge
- Powder dried seaweed in a spice grinder and use as salt
Watch out
- – Never eat anything you can't identify — a few species aren't friendly
- – Dried seaweed is a salt bomb, taste before you add more
- – If it smells of ammonia, it's off
Cook it: recipes with seaweed
main · autumn
Turbot & Brown Crab, Salt-Baked Celeriac, Dashi Broth
starter · winter
Hand-Dived Mull Scallop, Brown Butter & Dulse
starter · spring
Charlotte Spud, Roe & Dulse — Three Waters on a Plate
starter · winter
Hand-Dived Scallops, Brown Butter & Charred Dulse
main · summer
Grilled Sea Bass with Charred Fennel & Cornish Seaweed Butter
starter · winter