Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Wild Food guide to Laver along with all the Laver containing recipes presented on this site, with 2 recipes in total.

This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Laver as a major wild food ingredient.

Laver, (also known as Nori, Slake and Lafwr [in Welsh]) Porphyra sp. is the English name for a number (now systematically reduced to 5) of edible seaweed species of the red algal genus Porphyra which, most notably, includes P yezoensis and P tenera of the family Bangiaceae, (which are known as Nori in Japan). In Western Europe, the principal species is Porphyra umbilicalis, also known as red laver. They generally live in the intertidal, typically between the upper intertidal to the splash zone.

In Japanese cuisine Nori is formed by the shredding and rack-drying of laver before layering in a process similar to paper making. Sheets of nori are commonly used as a wrap for sushi (makizushi) and rice balls (onigiri). It is also used as a flavouring in soups. In Wales and Ireland, laver is eaten as laverbread (bara lafwr or bara lawr in Welsh) (To make laverbread, the seaweed is boiled for several hours, then minced or pureed. The gelatinous paste that results can then be sold as it is, or rolled in oatmeal; it is generally coated with oatmeal prior to frying) in a blend with savory oatmeal. It is also occasionally still made into a sauce to accompany lamb or monkfish.

Porphyra displays a heteromorphic alternation of generations.[6] The thallus we see is the haploid generation; it can reproduce asexually by forming spores which grow to replicate the original thallus. It can also reproduce sexually. Both male and female gametes are formed on the one thallus. The female gametes while still on the thallus are fertilized by the released male gametes, which are non-motile. The fertilized, now diploid, carposporangia after mitosis produce spores (carpospores) which settle, then bore into shells, germinate and form a filamentous stage.

Laver can be eaten raw, but is best lightly fried in butter or bacon fat. Laver coked this way is served with bacon and cockles as part of a traditional Welsh breakfast.

Laver is highly nutritious due to the high proportions of protein, iron, and especially iodine contained in the fronds. It also contains high levels of vitamins B2, A, D and C.

For other edible seaweed (sea vegetables), see the guide to edible seaweed

References:

[1]. David Evans Notes from field observations, tastings and cookery experiments.
[2]. Huxley, A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992
[3]. Tanaka, T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
[4]. Lim T.K. Edible Medicinal And Non-Medicinal Plants, Vols 1–8.
[5]. Thomas, G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
[6]. Milner, E. Trees of Britain and Ireland
[7]. Rose, F. & O'Reilly, C. The Wild Flower Key (Revised Edition) – How to identify wild plants, trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland
[8]. Streeter, D. & Garrard, I. The Wild Flowers of the British Isles
[9]. Clapham, A.R.; Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. Flora of the British Isles
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[10]. Phillips, R. Mushrooms
[11]. Jordan, P. & Wheeler, S. The Complete Book of Mushrooms: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Edible Mushrooms
[12]. Bunker, F.; Brodie, J.A.; Maggs, C.A. & Bunker, A. Seaweeds of Britain and Ireland.
[13]. Facciola, S. Cornucopia — A Source Book of Edible Plants