Ulva Lactuca
Sea lettuce is a verdigris green leaf with a characteristic taste and aroma. It is the most lettuce-like vegetable among the sea vegetables. It is harvested and eaten all over the world and common in temperate and cold waters.
Sea lettuce is rich in protein and contains considerable amounts of food fibres. It is known for its high content of iron and magnesium, as well as high levels of vitamin C and B12.
This sea vegetable is delicious raw. It has a fresh taste and crisp texture. In dried form it is suitable for use in dressings, pesto and as a flavour enhancing garnish to your favourite dishes. For any other uses follow the instructions in the recipes.
Dried sea lettuce is often used as a spice for fish dishes or as an ingredient in, for example, pesto together with fresh herbs.
Fresh sea lettuce is delicious in soups or salads and as an accompaniment to fish and other seafood. The clear and beautiful green colour makes it the chef ’s favourite in the summer, when it can be harvested along the whole coast. Try to add a good quality olive oil, fresh herbs and a little lime or apple cider vinegar.
· sea lettuce – ulva lactuca ·
Ulva is an old plant name, in old Latin used about sea plants; lactuca = salad.
OMELETTE WITH PEAS, FETA CHEESE AND SEA LETTUCEServes 4 / 45 minutes
20 g sea lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped
8 eggs
150 ml milk
2 tsp orange and pistachio spice (see recipe on page 55)
1 tsp seaweed salt
200 g frozen peas, de-frosted
200 g feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
100 g carrot, cut into thin slices
1 spring onion, cut into thin strips
30 g butter
1 tbsp sea lettuce flakes
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
Soak the sea lettuce in water for 10 minutes, then
rinse and drain.
Whisk the eggs and milk.
Add spices, salt, peas, feta cheese, carrot,
spring onion and sea lettuce.
Melt the butter in a large ovenproof frying pan.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Bake it in the oven for
30 minutes until the omelette has set and turned golden.
Serve the omelette immediately and sprinkle
a few sea lettuce flakes on top.