Bara Lawr: Fried seaweed with oatmeal.
Bara Lawr, also known as laverbread, is a traditional Welsh delicacy made from edible seaweed that grows on the west coast of Great Britain and the east coast of Ireland. After the seaweed (laver) is washed and boiled until it becomes a soft, green puree, it's combined with fine oatmeal, then shaped into patties and fried until crispy on the outside. The result is a unique combination of the ocean's umami flavor with the nutty, comforting taste of toasted oats. Bara Lawr can be served as a breakfast item, an appetizer, or as a side dish, and is often paired with bacon and cockles for a truly Welsh experience.
Join me today as we take a culinary adventure to the Welsh coastline. In this recipe, we transform the traditional Welsh delicacy, lava bread, crafted from local seaweed, into hearty and rustic Lava Bread Cakes. Perfect as a snack or an unconventional breakfast offering, each cake is a celebration of the ocean's briny essence melded with simple, wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients:
- Fresh lava seaweed, collected and cleaned
- Water for boiling
- Rolled oats
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper
- Cooking oil (or optionally bacon fat, goose, or duck fat for extra flavor)
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Prep Time: 10 minutes (excluding seaweed collection and cleaning)
Cook Time: 1-2 hours for simmering seaweed; 5 minutes for frying cakes
Total Time: About 2 hours and 15 minutes
Servings: Makes 5 patties
Equipment:
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Sieve (optional)
- Mixing bowl
- Palette knife (or spatula)
- Frying pan
Cooking Tips:
- Ensure the seaweed is adequately cleaned to remove any sand or debris before cooking.
- Consistently check water levels during the simmering process to prevent burning.
- Applying slight pressure to form patties ensures they hold shape during cooking.
- Serving suggestion: Pair with a full Welsh breakfast for an authentic experience.
Instructions:
1. Begin by simmering your cleaned lava seaweed in a saucepan filled with boiling water for about 2 hours. Check every 15 minutes to ensure the seaweed remains covered with water. In the last 15 minutes, let the water evaporate to create a seaweed paste.
2. If excess water is present, strain the seaweed using a sieve until you're left with a thick paste.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the lava bread paste with a similar volume of rolled oats, salt, and a generous grind of pepper.
4. Mix thoroughly until the oats absorb moisture from the seaweed paste, resulting in a manageable texture akin to a crab cake mixture.
5. Shape the mixture into golf ball-sized pieces, then use a palette knife warmed with your hand's heat to flatten them into patties.
6. Heat a frying pan on high and add your choice of oil (or alternative fat for enhanced flavor).
7. Fry the patties for a couple of minutes on each side until crisp on the outside. Since the seaweed is precooked and oats can be eaten raw, you're only aiming to crisp the exterior and reheat throughout.
8. Serve the Lava Bread Cakes hot, offering them as part of a breakfast spread for guests to enjoy at their leisure.
This recipe has been brought to you by the talented instructors at the Ashburton Cookery School & Chefs Academy. To find more culinary inspiration and learn from professional chefs, visit their YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@ashburtoncookeryschool
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