I Now Think of Slimy Kelp as Food

Last year, The New York Times reported on 2022 food predictions made by food forecasters. Interestingly, they wrote that farming kelp would move more into the mainstream, even though right now it is used primarily for making Dashi and appearing on menus at high-end restaurants. So what dishes can actually be made with seaweed, sea vegetables, and kelp?

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Are Kelp + Seaweed the Same Thing

Seaweed comes in 3 varieties based on color: red, brown, and green. But there are lots of names for the plants that grow in the sea.

• Seaweed: is the common name for all oceanic edible and non-edible macroalgae.
• Sea vegetables: are the name for a large variety of oceanic edible macroalgae, that are wild or farmed, for the purpose of human consumption.
• Kelp: is considered a brown seaweed and a sea vegetable, and is the largest subgroup of seaweed (1).

Names of the most common seaweed available in stores around me:

• Wakame (kelp-brown) used in seaweed salad
• Dulse (red) used in salads and side dishes, added to eggs + potatoes, common in Europe and salty
• Kombu (kelp-brown) base for dashi and ramen soups; cook with beans as they have enzymes that break down gas-producing raffinose sugars found in many legumes and vegetables (3). 
• Nori (red) used in sushi for wrapping
• Arame (kelp-brown) used in stir-fry like regular vegetables

Each of these plants have their own nutrition and benefits, and some come with specific cautions. Seek the help of a dietitian, nutritionist or medical professional to assist with any additives to your diet.

USA View + Use of Seaweed

Seaweed Farming

In 2006, the first commercial edible seaweed farm was opened in the USA, named Atlantic Sea Farms.

• Over 98% of the edible seaweed on the market is grown in Asia; with China and South Korea accounting for over half.
• Some of this product is grown in compromised water with little or no environmental oversight or batch testing for quality and safety.
• When it comes into the U.S., it is then sometimes re-hydrated and dyed with some pretty nasty stuff. 

So what is preventing the growth of a seaweed or sea veggies market in the USA?

• The USA does not have a strong seaweed demand.
• Seaweed is not part of the usual USA European-based cuisine, although it was utilized by the Indigenous Peoples as a food and seasoning source.
• The seaweed species we have on our shores are not the same as Asia.
• The states of Maine + Alaska now account for 85% of USA sales.
• USA product mainly goes to some specialty foods, cosmetics, + fertilizers.

Seaweed Benefits

But what makes this food a superfood, and good for the environment too?

Seaweed In Products

But also, seaweed and kelp are used in many products, food or otherwise:

• DifferenceBetween: Alginate, a carbohydrate from kelp, is primarily used as a thickening agent in ice cream, toothpaste and other products.
• Carrageenan, which is extracted from seaweed, is used in the production of many products, like paper and toothpaste. I even had it in my Vegan Jello recently.
• Agar, another extract from seaweed is used as thickening agent in foods, and also helps to grow bacterial cultures.
• CivilEats: Atlantic Sea Farms’ kelp is already an ingredient in cheese, veggie burgers, noodles, even dog treats, and will soon appear in plant-based fish, crackers, and dressings.

Seaweed as Animal Feed

My favorite dairy brand, Straus Family Creamery has decided to utilize a red seaweed to help reduce emissions from cows by 85%, following a trial they did on one of their farms. In fact, their governmental approved, 6-week trial was the first commercial, real-world effort to test cow’s methane emissions while feeding 24 cows a daily supplement of seaweed.

• “Enteric fermentation” is the cow’s digestive process that converts complex sugars into simple molecules for absorption. It produces methane as a metabolic byproduct.
• Side note: 95% to 98% of a cow’s natural methane production is emitted into the environment by their belches, not farts.
• EdibleMarineAndWineCountry: Seaweed is also a complex living organism. Turns out that algae have active ingredients—including a compound called bromoform—that can inhibit a cow’s digestive system from converting certain enzymes into methane, instead releasing them as hydrogen. 

The results are reported to have been successful. Those cows were fed a sprinkling (actually 1/4C per day) of seaweed powder (Asparagopsis taxiformis) along with their feed. The finding was that their enteric methane gas emissions (aka burps) were reduced by an average of 52%, and as much as 90%. Critically, this experiment also showed there was no change to the milk flavor, color or taste.

Straus now wants to implement this plan on all the 12 farms in their cooperative, as soon as USDA approval is given. For them, this is a tool in their efforts to make dairy more sustainable.

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Seaweed Nutrition + Recipes

Nutrition

Kelp: Vitamins A, B-12, B-6, iron, copper, magnesium, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, zinc, calcium, etc.

Sea Veggies

RealSimple writes, seaweed can be as much of an everyday vegetable as your go-to dark leafy greens, you just need to know where to start. They note that seaweed can be eaten dried or fresh, pureed, fermented or pickled, steamed, or roasted. In fact, they write that kelp may be one of the most versatile veggies we can use in our kitchens, and the most nutritious and climate-friendly ingredients available.

So I have scoured a variety of recipes to forward some of the easier dishes we can all make.

Kelp + Tahini Salad Dressing

Original from the Green Plate Special on Atlantic Sea Farms from Christine Burns Rudalevige for the Portland Press Herald.

• Combine 2 Atlantic Sea Farms kelp cubes 
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4C tahini
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2T olive oil
• 1T maple syrup
• Place all ingredients in a blender and puree
• Thin with warm water for consistency
• Taste and season with salt if needed
• Makes ~1C dressing

Fresh Kelp Pesto by Harbor Fish Market

Original mentioned by Harbor Fish Market

• In a blender add a handful of fresh basil
• 1/4C of pecorino cheese
• 1/4C of toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 lemon juice
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 1T minced garlic
• 1 Atlantic Sea Farms Kelp Cube
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Use to top fish, chicken, and pasta and or as a dip.

Superfood Kelp Salad

Original by Atlantic Sea Farms. Because of the hearty kale and cabbage, this is one salad that will not wilt quickly.

• Thinly slice 3 bunches Lacinato kale
• Thinly slice 1 small red cabbage
• Grate 7 carrots
• 1# Atlantic Sea Farms Ready-Cut Kelp
• 1# shelled edamame
• Lightly sprinkled with olive oil + salt, and toss
• Serve on plates
• Garnish with pomegranate seeds
• And goji berries
• And toasted pine nuts

Kelp Crab Cakes

Original by Chef Jourdan Simon.

Remoulade (Sauce)

• 1/2C mayo
• 1T garlic powder
• 1/4t smoked paprika
• 1/2C finely diced cornichon pickles
• pinch of salt and pepper

Crab Cakes

• Preheat oven to 375F
• In a bowl, add 8oz tinned crab meat, drained
• Add 2T diced red onion
• Add 1/4 small diced red pepper
• Add 1/4C finely chopped Atlantic Sea Farms Ready-Cut Kelp
• Add 1/2t old bay seasoning
• Add 1 egg
• Add 1/3C mayo
• Add 1/2C panko bread crumbs
• Add pinch of salt + pepper
• Mix everything (if too wet add more Panko)
• Form 4 compressed patties
• Place on a parchment lined baking sheet
• Bake for 15 minutes (should be firm to the touch)
• Plate and serve crab cake with a pour of sauce

A Vegan Surprise

Keeping Vegans and Vegetarians healthy is something seaweed can do, by providing several important nutrients. What I did was to look into using Kelp Flour. Mainly because my experience with kelp is in making dashi, and the kelp is very slimy and slippery. So the flour would be easier to mix into other foods.