Ready to roll into 2024 with our French-inspired take on SEAWEED BUTTER, or a version of “beurre des algues”, to be spread on toasted bread. It’s a really fun idea, and the recipe I’ve suggested couldn’t be much easier!
Pssst…I’ve topped it with some algae-based imitation caviar, which costs a tiny fraction of the price of real caviar, and is fun to experiment with 😉
Healthy News Doses
Seaweed 101: Your New Buddy for 2024 and Beyond!
Did you know there are three sub-types of algae consumed by humans?
Most well-known globally as:
- Nori
- Kombu
- Wakame
Recent studies suggest that adding marine algae to your diet can help reduce the risk of health issues like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and cancer.
“Several treatments have been development to cure this disease [cancer]; however, these therapies have many secondary effects. In this situation, new therapies need to be found to help alleviate these side effects. The polysaccharides obtained from seaweeds could be an alternative, since they have shown anticancer activity against some types of cancer
It seems the future of nutrition and health is riding a seaweed wave, with more exciting research on the horizon to uncover its full potential! 🌊🌿🔬
Algae As Meat-Based Alternative?
The University of Exeter highlighted in 2023 that algae had huge potential as a meat-based alternative.
“With more of us looking for alternatives to eating animals, new research has found a surprising environmentally friendly source of protein -- algae.”
Van Der Heijden, the trailblazing researcher from the University of Exeter, sys algae is set to be the ultimate ethical, and eco-friendly protein source.
Is all this getting you excited? or turning you green?
Why “New Year, New You” Sucks
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That's where The Gluten-Free Baking Cookbook, comes into play!
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Upgrade Your Plate
With Compound Seaweed Butter!
You can make this amazing TWO-STEP butter spread in three minutes at home. Consider spreading it on toasted slices of bread, which you can then dip into something like a hot, homemade fish stew.
As a fun flavor experiment, it would be awesome to try and bake your bread to serve with compound butter from scratch, using water you have infused with dried Kombu to soak overnight.
Make sure to start with SOFTENED butter here.
Step # 1: Cut one sheet of Nori (sushi seaweed paper) into very thin strips, and then dice the strips into small pieces. You end up with a small bowl of tiny, finely-diced pieces of dry Nori.
Step # 2: Combine the diced Nori with four Tablespoons (½ stick) of salted, softened butter, until the minced seaweed paper is fully mixed with the softened butter.
Enjoy! The texture is a bit unique, as the dried Nori sheets contrast with the soft butter, which is why I like to dip seaweed buttered bread into something like a fish soup or hot homemade seafood chowder!
I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.
Cooking Corner
Seaweed Rolls with Sliced Carrot, Cucumber, and Algae-Based Imitation Caviar!
If making sushi or seaweed rolls at home sounds intimidating to you—I am here to tell you that everything is going to be OK! In fact, making these rolls can be a really fun project to try out for the first time with friends for a relaxed dinner party, or even with your kids!
Don’t beat yourself up if the rolls come out looking less-than-perfect—they are going to taste great!
The following recipe provides four sushi rolls, using four sheets of Nori seaweed.
You can have fun with whatever fillings and garnishes you like here—I kept these rolls pretty basic.
Stuffed Cucumber Barrel Ingredients:
- 5 small Lebanese Cucumbers (tiny cucumbers that are six inches long), cut into ¾-inch sections,
- or “barrels.” You get about 7-8 “barrels” per cucumber.
- ¼ shallot, finely minced
- ½ clove raw garlic, finely minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly-grated
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- A small pinch of freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
- A small pinch of ground cayenne pepper
Stuffed Cucumber Barrel Instructions:
- Wash the cucumbers, and cut them into ¾-inch sections.
- Use a small melon-baller or tiny spoon to scoop out most of the center of each cucumber section.
- Lightly salt the hollowed-out cucumbers.
- *This hollowed-out area in each cucumber barrel is where you will add an oversized scoop of the filling, described below.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the minced shallot, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, fresh parsley, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, red pepper flakes, freshly-ground black pepper, and ground cayenne pepper.
- Mix to combine, and taste.
- Add more lemon juice, Kosher salt, or freshly-ground black pepper, if desired.
- Stuff the hollowed-out cucumber pieces with the filling, and arrange the bite-sized stuffed cucumber barrels on a plate.
Serve and enjoy!
Want to tell us what’s on your mind? Got a recipe you’re in need of?
Share your thoughts here!!
Andy G
Your Resident Chef