Dulse

Dulse (Palmaria palmate) is a type of seaweed or, more specifically, a red algae. It grows along the northern Atlantic and Pacific coastlines, where it is harvested in late summer at low tide and spread out on nets to dry in the sun. Dulse is highly prized as a nutritious food in Canada, the northeastern United States, Iceland and Northern Ireland. In fact, it is traditionally served at the annual Auld Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, County Antrim. Along the west coast of Ireland, dillisk, or dried dulse, is sold by street vendors. Similarly, dulse has been a traditional food in Iceland for centuries, where it is known as söl and enjoyed with butter. Other common names for this sea vegetable include dilsk, creathnach, sea lettuce and sea parsley.

Dulse is an abundant source of minerals and vitamins. It contains a significant amount of iron, B complex vitamins and essential trace minerals. It is also high in fiber and protein. Dulse is particularly high in potassium and, as might be expected, iodine. The plant also contains the antioxidant vitamins C and E.

The earliest surviving evidence of dulse being harvested for food was recorded more than 1,400 years ago by the monks of St. Columba Monastery in Derry, Ireland, the settlement that honors the patron saint of the city by the same name. Today, dulse is commonly served as a snack food at cocktail parties, a treat particularly enjoyed by partygoers along the southwestern coast of Ireland.

The seaweed is also recognized as representing umami, or the “fifth taste.” While the concept of umami has been around for centuries, the mechanism that defines it has only recently come to be understood. In short, umami is the distinctive flavor produced when foods that contain free glutamates combine, such as French fries and ketchup. The result is flavor enhancement of both foods experienced on the tongue as savory, as opposed to sweet, salty, sour or hot. Incidentally, Kikunae Ikeda, the same researcher that identified the umami quality of dulse and other seaweeds, was later inspired to develop the flavor enhancer monosodium glutamate, or MSG.

Although dulse has only captured the fancy of Americans in fairly recent times, there is no shortage of culinary creativity in its use. In addition to being used as a powdered flavor enhancer and natural alternative to MSG, the dried seaweed is fried in oil to make snack chips, baked with cheese or sauce, spread on sandwiches and pizza, and added to salads, soups and stews.