Dillisk / Dulse – Palmaria palmata
(In Irish – Duileasc)
Wild food, ahoy – Grab your buckets and scissors, and we’re off on another seaside adventure!
This week I’m taking a closer look at a rather tasty cold-water algae: dillisk.
Dillisk
It is also known as red dulse, sea lettuce flakes, or creathnach. One of the earliest records of it was from Iona in Scotland where Christian monks harvested it over 1,400 years ago (Indergaard, M. and Minsaas, J. 1991. 2 “Animal and human nutrition.” in Guiry, M.D. and Blunden, G. 1991. Seaweed Resources in Europe: Uses and Potential. John Wiley & Sons).
Where to find Dillisk
This algae species is mostly found in the middle to lower shore (mid-tide of the intertidal zone, which is the area between high and low tides). You can find it to depths of 20 m or more in both sheltered and exposed areas.
It can be found in many parts of Europe and the North Atlantic Coasts of America usually attached to rocks using a holdfast. It’s at its best from September to April.
How to identify dillisk
Characterised by its red, deep rose or purple colour, dillisk can grow between 20cm – 50cm in length. The fronds vary in shape and are quite strong and almost leathery in texture. They expand from the base and divide into segments. The average width of the fronds is about 3 – 8cm.
(Image: Palmaria palmata at Gilfach yr Halen, Ceredigion, Wales by Cwmhiraeth)
How to harvest dillisk
When harvesting, as usual, consider the haircut method and just give it a trim. Leave portions of the fronds behind so that the plant will continue to grow.
Health Benefits
It’s a rich and natural source of essential vitamins with high levels of roughage which is perfect if you’re looking for a nibble along the seashore!
Overall, dillisk is also an excellent source of protein, fibre, potassium, zinc, calcium and magnesium.
How to cook/eat
A wild food that’s very common on the west coast of Ireland, it doesn’t require soaking or cooking. I love just popping a bit of dried dillisk into my mouth and chewing on it but you can also add it to salads, use it as a change to salt in soups or even drop it into a cake. It is an excellent flavour enhancer.
You can dry it out on the windowsill or consider popping it on the car dashboard for dillisk on the go!
Recipe: Dillisk Bread
Ingredients:
- Butter (just for greasing a loaf tin)
- 30g dried dillisk
- 340g wholemeal flour
- 60g sunflower seeds
- 60g pumpkin seeds
- 2tsp bicarbonate of soda
- a pinch of sea salt
- 300 ml buttermilk
- 2 medium organic eggs
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Special equipment:
- One loaf tin (20cm round)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 210ºC fan and butter your baking tin.
- If your dillisk isn’t fine enough chop it up!
- In a large bowl, add the dillisk, the flour, seeds, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix.
- In a separate bowl/jug whisk the buttermilk, eggs and rapeseed oil together and pour this mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Using your hand as a claw, stir the mixture in a circular motion making sure that it is well combined.
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the tin and pat the bottom. You want it to sound hollow as then you’ll know when it’s ready.
- Cool fully on a wire rack and enjoy!
As always, happy foraging and don’t forget to source sustainably!
Happy foraging! If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this seaweed, you can submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre here.
(Lead image via WikimediaCommons/secretlondon123)