Ingredients
3 types of seaweed available from Asian supermarkets: Wakame, Hijiki, Sea lettuce
2 Spring Onions
30g Samphire
20g Sesame seeds
½ cup black sesame seeds
½ cup Vegetable oil
100ml Dark soy sauce
100ml Sake
100ml Mirren
50g Muscovado sugar
100ml Dashi stock
Method
Rehydrate the seaweed in cold water for 10 minutes. Drain the seaweed and place on kitchen towel until dry.
Chop the spring onions and samphire
Roast 20g sesame seeds
Black sesame dressing
Grind half a cup of roasted black sesame seeds and mix with half a cup of vegetable oil. Add 100 ml of dark Japanese soy sauce, 100 ml sake and 100 ml of Mirren. Add the muscovado sugar and dashi stock.
To serve
Place all of the seaweed in a bowl and add black sesame dressing to taste. Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and edible flowers.
Seaweed is widely used in Japanese cuisine, prized forits health benefits which include being high in fibre and iodine anda complete protein. Head chefPaul Greening– who trained as a microbiologist – has long been fascinated by the role seaweed plays in cooking, and also by the many different ways in which seaweed’s many varieties can be used.
Kombu – edible kelp – features in three dishes on the three-course menu: Miso sea trout with a kombu crust and nukazuke vegetables (Japanese-style pickles) and Mackerel and seabass kombu jime oshi (pressed) sushi, both starters, and one of the main courses, Samphire & kombu tempura with oba leaf and anori sauce.
Hijiki-ni, a dried sea plant used in a Beef and chilli nikujaga, or stew,is especially beneficial; it’s known to be rich in dietary fibre and essential mineralsincluding calcium, iron, and magnesium. Nori, most commonly used for wrapping sushi rolls, is used to infuse a White chocolate parfait which also features aonori, or green laver, and a panko nougatine.
Paul even uses shredded dried seaweed as a seasoning on the rice which accompanies the main courses; “Seaweed is the new salt!” he says.
The menu, which also includes a wakame seaweed & oba leaf-infused Tanqueray gincocktail, is amazing value at just £29 for three-courses and is available at lunch and dinner (some time restrictions apply – please check when booking) until November 29th.
5th Floor
240 Regent St
London W1B 3BR
UK
020 7478 0540