CREAMED SEAWEED WITH LEMON - ALGUES

I have had a very bad experience with seaweed and until not too long ago the sheer thought of eating that sea veggie gave me shivers. After having had a very bad encounter with seaweed in the past I have never trusted myself to give it another try...

Well, you have to know that the reason why seaweed repulsed me to highest point and made me feel unsecure is due to the fact that when I was a child I was forced to take kelp tablets. As I could not swallow them they were crushed with littel jam. That combination was absolutely horrid! It took me hours to get that mixture down and I had to struggle a lot in order to finish it. That episode traumatized me and from then on seaweed became a taboo subject.

Anyway I am a daring person who likes to try out new things (well, maybe not ALL things), so when my friend Corinne proposed to give me a box of mixed seaweeds I could not refuse her offer. There was no way I was going to chicken out. I had to make my own experiences with those sea plants that are highly nutritious, healthy and extremely abundant.

"Love is like seaweed;
even if you have pushed it away, you will not prevent it from coming back"
- Nigerian proverb

As a matter of fact, apart from being interesting culinary-wise, the health benefits of seaweed are plenty. All of the minerals we need are present in sufficient amount and they contain many trace elements as well as vitamins. Certain seaweeds are up to 30 times higher in minerals than land food and can cleanse the body of toxic polluants (brown algae). They are also good for the hair (growth, shininess, thickness...), the mental health and the metabolism, they help regulate the hormones, awaken sexual desire, enrich the bloodstream and give a youthful skin color. A perfectly balanced natural food; Mother Nature's gift. Da bomb indeed!

Well, as I am not acquainted with that special vegetable growing in our seas I did not know how I should use it. After a little research on the net I found out that it was not difficult to cook with seaweed since it can be prepared just like any other veggie. As it somewhow reminds me of spinach I decided to prepare it in the same way as that plant. If we can make creamed spinach why can't we also make "Creamed Seaweed With Lemon"?

The result was fantastic! The garlic and shallots brought lots of flavor to that dish, the lemon took away some of the smelliness/fishiness of the seaweed and the cream added a little roundness to it all. It wasn't bad at all!

I must say that my "Creamed Seaweed With Lemon" had a refined taste and was very enjoyable. Something I will definitely try again and again.

~ Creamed Seaweed With Lemon ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Ingredients:
1 Shallot, finely chopped
1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs Unsalted butter
2 Cups Mixed seaweed (brown, green and red seaweed/dulse, kelp, wakame), thouroughly washed & chopped coarsely
The juice of 1/2 lemon (or to taste)
5 Tbs Double cream
Sea salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Method:
1. Over medium high melt the butter and let it brown.
2. Add the shallot and fry for about 1 minute, then add the garlic and fry for another 1 -2 minute (the shallots have to be transluscent).
3. Add the seaweed and stir fry for about 2 minutes.
4. Add the lemon, stir fry for another minute.
5. Add the cream, season to taste, mix well and cook for 1 minute more.
6. Serve.

Remarks:
You can use one small onion instead of a shallot.
The cream can be replaced by light cream or cream cheese (use 4 Tbs instead of 5 Tbs)

Serving suggestions:
Serve as side dish together with fried/steamed fish (salmon, trout, tilapia, tuna, etc... ) or fried/poached/scrambled eggs (or omelet) and boiled/fried potatoes or rice.

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~ Algues Au Citron Et A La Crème ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010.

Ingrédients:
1 Echalotte, finament hachée
1 Gousse d'ail, finement hachée
1 CS (15g) de Beurre non-salé
100g (2 tasses) d'Algues mixtes (brunes, vertes er rouges/dulse, kelp, wakame), lavées et coupées en morceaux grossiers
Le jus d'un demi citron (ou selon goût)
5 CS de Crème double
Sel de mer, selon goût
Poivre, selon goût

Méthode:
1. A feu moyennement élevé, faire fondre le beurre et le laisser brunir afin d'obtenir un beurre noisette.
2. Ajouter l'échalotte et faire revenir pendant 1 minute, puis ajouter l'ail et faire revenir pendant 1 à 2 minutes supplémentaires (les échalottes doivent être translucides).
3. Ajouter les algues et les cuire pendant 2 minutes, tout en remuant.
4. Ajouter le citron et faire cuire pendant une autre minute sans cesser de remuer.
5. Ajouter la crème et assaisonner et faire cuire 1 minute supplémentaire en oubliant pas de bien remuer.
6. Servir.

Remarques:
L'échalotte peut être remplacée par un petit oignon blanc et la crème double par de la crème légère ou du fromage frais Philadelphia (4 CS au lieu de 5 CS).

Idées de présentation:
Servir avec du poisson frit/cuit à la vapeure (saumon, truite, tilapia, thon, etc...) ou des oeufs au plat/pochés/brouillés (ou de l'omelette) et des pommes de terre cuites à l'eau/grillées ou du riz.