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Dried Dabberlocks
Dried Dabberlocks is a modern British recipe (based on a Japanese original) for a classic method of drying seaweed for later use in stews, bean dishes and soups which produces a product that can be substituted for Japanese wakame. Several methods are presented to account for a ranger of weather conditions. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Dried Dabberlocks.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
10 minutes
Total Time:
30 minutes
Additional Time:
(+6 hours drying)
Makes:
300g
Rating: 
Tags : Wild FoodBritish Recipes
This is a classic method for producing dried wakame substitute from Atlantic dabberlocks (
Alaria esculenta (Dabberlocks)) that can be kept for a long time and used in any Chinese or Japanese recipe calling for dried wakame. The methods presented here are exactly the same as the traditional Chinese drying methods.
Good wakame dries at a ratio of about 6:1 (so 6kg fresh kelp will give you about 1kg dried wakame substitute) so that you do not need to harvest excessive amounts from the seashore.
Method:
The key is to pick the dabberlocks when the fronds are beginning to thicken (typically July and August) after their initial growth spurt in June. This ensures that you have maximal flavour and nutrients.
If at all possible the dabberlocks should simply be sun-dried as this gives maximal flavour and nutrient retention. If you live by the sea and have a sunny day in mid August then set a black plastic sheet in your garden in the morning. Go to the seaside and pick the dabberlocks. When you get home, wash this thoroughly then lay out on the plastic sheet so that none of the fronds are touching (trim away the stipes and holdfasts). I prefer to strip the fronds away from the midrib before drying (but you don't have to do this, but if you do you will end up with a product that is more equivalent to Japanese wakame. On a bright, sunny, day, the kelp will be semi-dry in about 3 hours and needs to be turned over and they will be completely dry in 6 hours.
If you pick on a rainy or cloudy day then you can pack the kelp in a box, salting between each layer of salt. This will keep the algae so you can wash and then sun dry when it's sunny (but the salt will destroy some of the nutrients). You can also oven dry by placing the kelp in single layers on baking trays and drying in an oven pre-heated to 50°C for about 4 hours (but this is a relatively harsh method and does not produce as god a product as sun drying).
When dry, cut the dabberlocks into 10cm lengths and store in air-tight boxes (you can also freeze). To use, re-constitute in cold water for about 10 minutes then chop and add to your dish. It makes an excellent addition to any stew or soup (where it acts as a flavouring and thickener) and a 7 to 10cm length is usually sufficient. These can be used in any recipe calling for wakame and this product is now sold as Atlantic wakame. Dried dabberlocks can also be ground to make a flour substitute which can also be added as a flavouring to all kinds of soups and stews.
