Re: [Paddlewise] Kelp

BRAD wrote:
> 
> Every year we paddle through acres and acres of kelp. Does anyone know
> if kelp is edible? If yes, how do you fix the stuff?
> Brad Crain


Kelp - A generic name for any of the edible, brown seaweeds of the
family Laminariaceae. See also kombu.

Kombu - Particularly popular in Japanese cookery, kombu is one of the
two basic ingredients used for dashi (soup stock). It's a long dark
brown to grayish-black seaweed, which, after harvesting, is sun-dried
and folded into sheets. Kombu is sold in Japanese and health-food
markets and when stored unopened in a dry place it will keep
indefinitely. After opening, store in a cool, dry place for up to 6
months. Kombu has a natural white-powder covering that delivers
considerable flavor. For that reason, the surface should be lightly
wiped off, not washed. Kombu is used to flavor cooked foods as well as
for sushi. It's sometimes pickled and used as a condiment. Kombu is also
called simply kelp.

Seaweed - An important food source in many Asian cultures, seaweed is a
primitive sea plant belonging to the algae family with origins dating
back millions of years. Japanese cuisine employs different varieties
(such as kombu, laver, wakame and nori) for many uses including soups,
vegetables, tea, sushi and as a general seasoning.  The Irish are
partial to the seaweed known as carrageen, and agar is widely used
throughout Asia.  Seaweed is a rich source of iodine, an important
nutrient. Many seaweeds also provide alginic acid, a jellylike substance
that's used as a stabilizer and thickener in a wide variety of
commercially processed foods such as ice creams, puddings, flavored milk
drinks, pie fillings, soups and syrups. See also dulse; hijiki; kelp;
limu; wakame.

A recipe search on "kelp" returns 17 results.  It would probably be a
good idea to identify exactly what your local version of "kelp" is
before consuming it.  Biology / marine biology dept. at a nearby
university would be a good bet for a quick answer.

Best regards,
Bill
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