Kelp Whole or Chopped SERVING SIZE: ¼ oz, 7 g, or 1/3 loosely packed cup

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS

• Less than 0.5 mg fat and 0 mg cholesterol per serving
• Only 15 calories per serving
• Rich in all major minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron
• Plentiful trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium
• One serving provides more than 100% of iodine's Recommended Daily Value
• Natural MSG-like tenderizer and flavor enhancer

FLAVOR CHARACTERISTICS:

• Uncooked: "salty", acrid
• Cooked: less "salty", seafood-like, slightly sweet

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

• Raw: chewy, even when hydrated
• Cooked (fried, toasted): tender, brittle, turns greenish brown
• Cooked (with liquid): tender after 15 min., may dissolve in 30 min.
• Water-holding capacity: holds 5 times its dry weight in water
• Dry to hydrated volume increase is almost 40%

COMBINATIONS:

• Complimentary: most seafoods, most root vegetables, most grains, all dry beans and lentils, all winter squash, all potatoes, most cheeses, some fruits, most nuts, most sea vegetables
• Uncomplimentary: milk, melons, most delicate flavors

SUBSTITUTIONS:

• Pork in beans, chicken or beef in soup stocks, Japanese kombu

PREPARATION and USAGE

• Check dried fronds for foreign material
• Rinse quickly for decreased salty taste (some minerals are lost)
• Soak to reduce cooking time


• TOASTED: spread evenly on sheet pan in 350° oven for 2 min. for whole Kelp, 1 ½ min. for chopped; turns greenish; burns easily!
• FRIED: panfry in well oiled, medium-hot skillet until crisp for kelp "chips" to sprinkle on salads or toss in stirfries.
• SAUTÉED: soak or toast before adding to any sauté (see recipe) or panfry before adding other ingredients.
• BOILED: add dry to any soup stock for rich mineral flavor and "body"
• BAKED: add to all beans for digestibility, shorter cooking time and thickening.

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Maine Coast Sea Vegetables
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