Is Kelp The New Kale

There's a new green in town that may dethrone kale as the top veggie. It's seaweed and it's not only versatile and nutrient dense but also good for the planet. Eating it is good for us and good for Earth.

Melissa Clark explored this in yesterday's New York Times Food section. As seen here , the entire section was dedicated to sustainability and eating to help the planet. Kelp is one of those plants that is low impact on the climate but high impact on diets. Ms. Clark traveled to Portland, Maine where the plant is surrounded by clean seawater. (Don't try this at home, especially if your shoreline is near a big city) Eating seaweed is nothing new.Different kinds such as sweet red dulse,inky alaria and ruffled sea lettuce have fed coastal communities for thousands of years. Traditional Welsh recipes calls for frying fresh seaweed in bacon fat while the Irish cook it with potatoes The Scots even bake it into breads and biscuits. Indigenous Americans were not immune to its'' possibilities and cooked all manners of seaweed, from brown to green to red. Of course most Americans have had their first taste with Japanese sushi, yet it's not the same as fresh. It hasn't caught on, probably because of  seaweed salad most sushi restaurants serve. It's cloying and damp, a far cry from what is originally cooked in Japanese households and restaurants.

Will kelp fly in American home kitchens?One of its' big pluses is that the cell structure won't break done during freezing , thawing and then refreezing. This is due to it developing in constantly changing tides and temperatures. Keep in mind that its' different from nori, kombu and  dulse. These have to be prepared differently. Ms. Clark puts it smoothies, soups and saute pans with a hit of chile and garlic.  She gives three different recipes. One is roast chicken with crunchy seaweed and potatoes. This is a sheet pan meal so the seaweed is baked til it's crisp and crunchy  not unlike kale - which you can sub in for it. Then there is creamy white bean and seaweed stew with Parmesan. It's a typical Italian bean soup spiked with dried kombu which is often used in Japanese soups. If you want something a bit more briny the last recipe is a lemony pasta with anchovies and kelp. Chiles give it bite. In this, kelp is pureed but you can also use kelp smoothie cubes. Think of it as a pesto thickened with an anchovy paste flavored with lemon zest,  garlic and chile peppers.It's an interesting concept that can work with any kind of pasta, preferably a chunky kind like rigatoni.

Will it help the planet to eat kelp and its cousins? Yes. Will it help your diet? Yes. Cooking and eating seaweed is a win-win situation. Try it not just for your sake but also for the planet's.

Scallions Decorative And Tasty

Want to add color and zest to any savory meal? Then think scallions. These emerald green stalks are wildly popular in Chinese cuisine but  they can also be added to any other recipe. Try them  - for some zing and oomph!

Scallions are part of the allium family, and are first cousins with bulb onions and second cousins to garlic,leeks and chives. They're sometimes called green onion, spring onion and salad onion. Due to their age, they not to have a  fully developed bulb at the end of their stalks. The stalks themselves are round, hollow and tubular, growing from a small knob. They originated in far eastern Europe and the name for it came from the Greek word ashkelon which is also where the word shallot derived from. There are about seven different types. The ones we see in supermarket is the Welsh variety and it is also used quite often in Asia. The other type, A cepa is also sold here. The onion is divided into two parts, the white which has  a sweeter, more flavorful taste than the green section. Most professional and home chefs use the green part a lot , simply for color. You can use these instead of chives ,especially on baked potatoes. They will definitely give them more flavor. Peak season is usually Spring and summer but they can be bought all year long. Scallions are always sold in bunches . Do not buy if the white part is yellowed or if they look wilted.

One of the most famous and most delicious recipes is scallion pancake from China. This is an easy cook at home.It's a simple flour pancake with an entire bunch of chopped green scallions added. They then fried in peanut or vegetable oil until crispy and brown . Each pancake receives about a tablespoon of the greens. They're usually served with soy sauce or a sweet sauce, made from soy sauce, ginger root and brown sugar.Scallions add zing too,  to hot and sour soup, giving it a nice fresh flavor after all the heat and tang. Slice them very thin and toss  them into a fennel salad . They give the usually mild salad green some zing and zest. They do this for other recipes such as cauliflower fritters and seared salmon.They can be added to bland mashed potatoes for color and dash along with being deep fried in corn flour and bread crumbs.  The Chinese are not the only ones who love scallions. The Mexicans often incorporate them in tortillas and even guacamole.

Scallions are a great way to enhance any savory dish. Try them n classic Chinese pancakes, salads, or guacamole. They are sharp and tasty, a perfect way to add  excitement to lunch or dinner.