The Chef’s Words – Chef Boaz Tsairi
These recipes are intended for residents of countries in the European Union and beyond. Some of these countries, such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, and the British Isles, consume a lot of seafood. For these countries, we offer recipes based mostly on seafood. On the other hand, seafood consumption is far more limited in countries such as Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe. For better acceptance by the public, these countries should be offered recipes that combine seaweed in dishes based on meat and chicken. This collection of recipes includes both types.
When I started preparing sushi in Israel 35 years ago, I created dishes bridging Japanese and Israeli culinary cultures. For example, sushi recipes incorporating smoked salmon were successful among Israelis because they contained an ingredient they were familiar with. Similarly, roasted red pepper and tuna worked well with Israelis.
The same approach applies to algae. Despite the abundant harvest of seaweed in Europe, it is rare to encounter dishes based on seaweed. Some cookbooks provide information on algae use, but few refer to Ulva since there is a certain reluctance to use Ulva because of its strong flavour. In this collection of recipes, I offer excellent and tasty recipes for dishes with Ulva. I wish to increase the consumption of seaweed especially Ulva, as these can provide an abundant quantity of quality foods for humanity both in the present and the future.
What is Ulva?
About Ulva
The seaweed Ulva, commonly known as sea lettuce, is far more than a vibrant marine vegetable. It stands out not merely for its bright green hue and paper-thin texture but for many aspects rooted in its biology, global habitat, and historical significance. Ulva is commonly found in shallow water and is attached to rocks on rocky shores. Ulva also thrives in estuaries and marine lagoons. Its adaptability allows it to flourish at varying salinity and nutrient levels, leading to its commercial cultivation in worldwide mariculture operations. As global culinary enthusiasts increasingly seek sustainable and nutritious ingredients, Ulva has emerged as a front-runner. It serves as a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals, while mariculture Ulva contains up to 35% protein. We aim to utilize Ulva to promote food security for ourselves and the world today and future generations. In addition to its gastronomic benefits, Ulva plays a crucial role in nutrient uptake from eutrophic waters, bioremediation, and oxygen production, thus improving water quality. It also provides a habitat for a wide array of marine organisms, thereby supporting coastal biodiversity.
Ulva and the Environment
Ulva has beneficial interactions with the ecosystem, as outlined below:
An Alternative to Terrestrial Crops: As a potential food and feed source, the cultivation of Ulva might reduce the pressure on terrestrial agricultural systems, thereby conserving precious freshwater resources and reducing land degradation.
Nutrient Uptake: Ulva is known for its rapid growth and ability to uptake nutrients from surrounding water, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. This makes it a potential tool for bioremediation in areas suffering from eutrophication due to agricultural runoff or wastewater discharge.
Carbon Sequestration: Ulva captures carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and converts it into organic matter through photosynthesis.
Although its impact is smaller than terrestrial plants, this process contributes to mitigating the effects of rising atmospheric CO2 levels.
Sustainable Biomaterials: Ulva has been the subject of research as a source of bioplastics and other sustainable materials. If adopted on a larger scale, this could reduce the harmful environmental impact caused by conventional plastic materials.
Ulva Mariculture
The sustainable cultivation of seaweed is essential for the future of our planet. As a fast-growing seaweed, Ulva offers a promising avenue for sustainable mariculture. With increasing interest in Ulva for its nutritional benefits and other applications, Ulva mariculture enterprises have begun operating in various parts of the world. Ulva is cultured under controlled conditions in either land-based or sea-based facilities. Notably, Ulva generates more biomass per square meter than terrestrial plants.
Ulva in our diet
Ulva food of our future
As a Cheff, my conversation with other seaweed experts often begins by agreeing that algae are the food of our future. Since Ulva can be delicious, we hope these recipes will open the door to more fans. The recipes combine Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine and are easy and quick to prepare. The dishes look beautiful and will impress your guests.
Adding Ulva to Your Diet
Ulva has a mild, somewhat salty flavour with a slightly nutty aftertaste. Its texture is usually tender, similar to spinach or lettuce, with a slight chewiness or crispness, depending on the preparation method. Ulva can be used in a multitude of dishes, including salads soups, and as a garnish for seafood. Overall, the taste of Ulva can be described as refreshing, delicate, and briny, with a mild umami flavour. Ulva can be prepared in different ways and styles. Rinse the Ulva thoroughly in cold water before cooking to eliminate residual sand or other small particles.
Raw: Ulva can be eaten raw in salads or used as a garnish atop seafood dishes. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
Steamed or blanched: To cook Ulva, steam or blanch it for a few minutes until it turns bright green and becomes slightly tender. Once cooked, you can add it to soups or stir-fries. Fried: Another way to cook Ulva is to fry it until it becomes crispy. Coat the Ulva in a light batter or breadcrumbs, then deep-fry it until golden brown. This method creates a crunchy texture and is served as a snack or side dish.
Dry Ulva
If you have a large amount of Ulva, you can preserve it for next time. You can freeze it, preferably without rinsing off the salt, and dry it in the sun in a mould on baking paper, on a grid, or in an oven at a low temperature (no more than 40° C. in Fan mode). Be sure to collect the dry Ulva after drying it and place it in an airtight container as it quickly absorbs moisture from the environment.
Using dry Ulva of various sizes or Ulva flakes, which are small, is very convenient. Dried Ulva flakes can be purchased in many Asian speciality shops. You can add dried Ulva flakes to salads, soups, and stews. In Japan, Ulva’s main dish is Tako Yaki, made of dough, octopus, and Ulva flakes. It is a very common type of street food. The Ulva flake market is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The Nutritional Benefits of Ulva
Ulva has notable nutritional value, making it a potentially beneficial component of human and animal diets. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of its biochemical composition:
Proteins: Ulva contains approximately 15% (from the wild) to 35% (from aquaculture) protein by dry weight, including essential amino acids vital for human health.
Carbohydrates: The carbohydrate content of Ulva can be anywhere from 30% to 55% of its dry weight. This includes dietary fibres with many potential health benefits.
Lipids: The fat content of Ulva is low, usually between 1% and 3% of its dry weight. It contains beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Vitamins: Ulva is rich in B vitamins (notably B12, which is rare in plants), Vitamin C, Vitamin A precursors, and Vitamin E.
Minerals: It provides essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and zinc and is especially rich in iodine.
Pigments: Ulva contains pigments beneficial to our health, such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, and xanthophylls.
Bioactive Compounds: Various compounds in Ulva have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties.
Dietary Fibres: The algae’s fibres can aid digestion and may have other health-promoting effects.
Caloric Content: Ulva is generally low in calories.
Precise nutritional values can vary based on growth conditions and harvesting time. Nevertheless, Ulva is consistently a nutritionally rich and healthy food. Always ensure that the Ulva is sourced from clean water to avoid contamination.
