Sea Aster – Who, What, How?

Sea Aster is todays focus!

In these weekly blogs, we will select our favourite product this week and discuss its variety of health benefits and uses. We will also throw in some great recipes for you to try and some top tips and tricks.  

Sea Aster is a great sea vegetable to incorporate into your cooking if you’re not used to using sea veg. It is very aesthetically pleasing, with long green leaves with grey hues. Although looking pretty on the plate, it is the flavour of this sea veg that we think makes it a great introductory sea vegetable. It’s leaves have a fleshy bite, with a salty yet sweet flavour. Their salt flavour isn’t quite as pungent as Salicornia, which has a much more intense salt flavour. With less intense flavours, this ones great to start you off using sea vegetables.

Sea Aster is particularly resilient to salt, waves and wind, and so this instils strengthened nutrients. Sea Aster extract can be great for promoting healthy skin and naturally reducing redness and sensitivity. Sea Aster also contains high amounts of Vitamin A, C and D, and contains high levels of iron. Vitamin A is crucial for helping the immune system work properly, and helping vision in dim light. Meanwhile, Vitamin C is useful for protecting cells and keeping them healthy, as well as maintaining healthy skin. Vitamin D helps to keep a good amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which is needed to keep bones and muscles healthy. With high levels of iron too, sea aster is great for all-round nutrition.

Did you know? Sea Aster’s latin name is Tripolium pannonicum. Also, as well as supplying tasty leaves, it grows delicate flowers too, which look much like a daisy.

Now, we’ve had a hunt through for some delicious recipes using Sea Aster that we recommend you try. Let’s get stuck in…

Stir Fry

Sea Aster leaves are very popular for the use in Asian stir fries. We recommend following your favourite stir fry recipe and then throwing the leaves in at the end. You want to avoid cooking them for too long, as this could remove some of the flavours. A quick toss in your hot stir fry would be perfect.

Galton Blackiston’s Sous vide brill with fish fumet and sea herbs 

Over on Great British Chefs, the brilliant Galton Blackiston shows how you can cook sea vegetables to create a beautiful dish. In less than 10 steps, Galton creates a fantastic Sous vide brill with fish fumet, served with sea vegetables. Galton uses other sea vegetables, including sea purslane and sea kale. He also demonstrates great cookery; both blanching and sautéing the sea vegetables he uses. If you’re wanting to experiment with multiple cooking techniques, this is a brilliant recipe to follow. Head over to Great British Chefs to try for yourself, or click the link here.

Anna Hansen’s Ajowan, turmeric and coriander marinated halibut with mango nam prik

Another great recipe from Great British Chefs. Anna Hansen’s Marinated halibut served on sea aster is one to follow if you’re experimenting with sea aster. Anna wilts her sea aster and serves the fish on top. In no more than 7 steps, Anna creates a vibrant Asian fish dish served with Mango Nam Prik. Try her recipe in full here.

Top Tips and Tricks –

• To prepare sea aster, it is best to rinse the leaves with cool water and pat them dry with a paper towel. It is important not to wash them for too long, as they can lose their salty flavour.
• Sea Aster can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. If you’re running out of time, just use them as a tasty garnish to add more flavour and texture to your dish!
• Sea vegetables are highly nutritious and help to improve thyroid function and overall health, so if you’re looking for a way to flavour your food with something good for you – sea aster is the one!

If you’ve got a recipe you want featured on one of our blogs, get in touch with us via instagram, or email Marketing at isobel@nurturedinnorfolk.co.uk