Irish Seaweed Kitchen: The Comprehensive Guide to Healthy Everyday Cooking with Seaweeds - Hardcover

Prannie Rhatigan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1906886229 ISBN 13: 9781906886226

Publisher: Booklink, 2009

Synopsis

Irish seaboard lore, recipes old and new, nutritional information and personal anecdote combine with the faintest hint of nostalgia in this refreshingly original mix of common sense and practical cookery. Sourcing, identifying, preparing and storing seaweed for culinary use are all clearly explained in addition to a remarkable collection of over 150 easy-to-follow, creative and delicious recipes, including tips and hints. Designed to facilitate seaweed users from novice to experienced, there is also a full seaweed recipe index for ease of use and a chart outlining the nutritional properties of each seaweed. Over 100 colour photographs and original line drawings represent not simply the foods featured, but also provide a glimpse of a unique west of Ireland lifestyle and landscape. Beautifully written and illustrated, the compelling pages highlight seaweeds as a valuable, flavoursome and versatile food recognized for its positive impact on health. A book to cherish for both its presentation of seaweeds as a culinary component in a highly approachable way, and for its charming sense of time and place.

About this title

About the Author:

Prannie Rhatigan is a medical doctor who has been harvesting and cooking with seaweed, and gardening organically, since childhood. Born and raised in the Northwest of Ireland she has a lifelong interest in the connections between food and health.

She holds a BA Honours degree in Psychology (NUI Galway, 1982), a medical degree, (NUI Cork, 1990) and is a qualified General Practitioner (MICGP 1994).

She has worked on the national cardiovascular strategy programme and represented the Irish College of General Practitioners on the national steering group for the implementation of Smoke Free at Work in Ireland. An experienced GP she now works mainly in Public Health.

A member of Slow Food she has represented Ireland s finest food abroad on several occasions and regularly gives workshops and lectures on seaweeds and cooking.

Her most recent personal work includes exploring the links between genetics, the environment and the benefits of live foods on health and well-being.

Married to Johnny Waters they have one daughter, Kate, and live on the idyllic coastline of Streedagh, Co Sligo.

Review:

Prannie Rhatigan's Irish Seaweed Kitchen puts the spotlight on Irish seaweeds in the preparation of food; it introduces the reader to a treasure trove of culinary knowledge. This is not a psychologist and doctor undertaking a scientific cookery tome. It is a vibrant woman, bursting with life and health and wishing both on all others! Her happy childhood, imbibing the myriad interests of our Atlantic seashore, built the foundations of her awareness and interest in its seaweeds.

Dr Rhatigan, as a true scientist and medical doctor draws on the skills of many other culinary experts. Those of us fortunate enough to taste her sea-bites can well understand why her book conjures up so much fun, love and joy; just the ingredients needed to help us all live through these testing times. The wonderful photography throughout the book provides a comprehensive understanding of Prannie's 'back to basics' approach to traditional cooking methods and the nutritional properties of seaweed; it paints a vibrant picture of the beauty of the west of Ireland, its lifestyle and breathtaking landscape.

Dr Rhatigan's Irish Seaweed Kitchen, with over 150 recipes with hints and tips, will appeal to both the novice seaweed user and the experienced cook. This is a book that is more relevant than ever in today's health and cost conscious kitchen - get it, and use it!

--Nuala O'Donoghue and John Seager, Derryvilla Blueberry Farm

A remarkable book by any standards, it comes as no surprise to find that Prannie Rhatigan's Irish Seaweed Kitchen was many years in the making the wonder of it is that this wide ranging, searching and very beautiful work ever went to press at all, as its subject is clearly a work in progress for this gifted medical doctor, organic gardener and Slow Food cook.

Growing up on the west coast of Ireland where the rhythm of the tides and lore of the sea still provide a backdrop to everyday life , Prannie learned about the glistening crop on the foreshore and the harvesting pattern of different types of seaweed throughout the year and their uses in the kitchen and garden.

That experience provided the foundation for a lifelong interest in using seaweed as a food, and harnessing its nutritional and medicinal benefits in a way that brings together the traditional Irish uses for seaweed, going back through many generations, and the value laid on seaweed for nutrition and health.

The result is a fascinating tapestry of social history, anecdote, practical down-to-earth information (types of seaweed 15 in this book, in red, brown and green groups; uses; harvesting; preparing; drying and storing), stunning imagery (contributed by at least two photographers and an illustrator) and a unique collection of recipes The teamwork involved has been extraordinary- as a glance at the acknowledgments will show and it s a beautifully produced book, with great attention to detail throughout, right down to the bookmark with a Quick Guide to Preparing Seaweed.

The timing is perfect for this highly original book, it makes a fascinating read, as well as a wonderful reference for anyone interested in Ireland, food, health or simply life.

--Georgina Campbell, Ireland's Leading Food and Hospitality Writer

In my early years on Sherkin we collected seaweed from the beach to fertilise our land. Believe it or not we also experimented with feeding it to pigs they loved it. However, in my 40 years on the island we never used seaweed in the kitchen. This wonderful book, with its many recipes shows what we have missed.

The author is a medical doctor who has been harvesting and cooking seaweed, and gardening organically, since childhood. She begins the book with a quick guide to the health benefits and culinary uses of seaweed and then goes on to show how to prepare the various species.

In the first chapter Stock and Soups, she gives a basic sea and land vegetable stock which can be used for any recipe requiring vegetable stock in the book. The chapter also features delicious-sounding recipes, from nettle soup with Alaria seaweed , to roasted red pepper and red lentil soup to herb and vegetable broth with Duileasc and cheese .

The chapter on Starters and Light Lunches, includes Memories of Sleabhac , the author s wonderful childhood memories of harvesting this seaweed. Sleabhac is described as the perfect boost to the system and a great way to help the body fight off infection during the winter months.

In the chapter Salad and Vegetables, the recipes beetroot and sea lettuce salad and popeye s gratin highlight Sea Lettuce (Ulva lactuca), 100g of which can provide up to 35% of vitamin B12 for adults. What about a basic seaweed smoothie, with Alaria, banana, pineapple and honey to give a great green boost in one glass.

Other chapters show that seaweed can be used in many other fascinating recipes including breads, cakes, desserts and puddings.

If you are unfamiliar with the names of the various seaweeds you can eat, the final chapter edible seaweeds has wonderful photographs of the various species, as well as details about where and when you can find them.

The author also provides nutritional charts/range of values of each seaweed.

Being a medical doctor, the author gives sound advice that the book is not intended to substitute any treatment or advice given by your medical practitioner. She also states that if you are on thyroid medication to consult your practitioner before consuming seaweed.

For all those who have always wanted to try cooking with seaweed, this recipe book will take the trepidation out of it. It s a beautiful publication and would make a wonderful gift for anyone interested in cooking with these natural ingredients.

--Matt Murphy, Director, Sherkin Island Marine Station

About this edition

• Publisher: Booklink
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1906886229
• ISBN 13: 9781906886226
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 287
• Editor: Catherine Rhatigan
• Illustrator: Geraldine Greaney, Dathi O'Dowd