Sea Spaghetti, Blackberries and Lentils

Sea spaghetti has a delightful nutty flavour and is a fantastic source of protein as well as a range of vitamins and minerals. Blackberries can be found in abundance in our hedgerows in from August – September and bring a delightful acidity to this dish. Foraging for blackberries is perhaps one of the simplest and most rewarding of foraging tasks as you rarely have to look very far to find a blackberry bush laden with fruit. As with all foraging expeditions, do try to keep away from busy roads where car fumes will contaminate the fruit, and be sure to wash the berries well when you return home. As the weather begins to change and the days become shorter in the Autumn, this dish provides a warm and comforting sojourn from gloomy autumn evenings. Cooking the lentils in a dashi made from the sea spaghetti brings a distinct umami taste, while the parsnips cooked in milk bring a luscious, comforting, creaminess. I recommend using Jersey milk or organic milk from a small producer such as Templeroe dairy or Mossfield Organic Farm for this as the fat content tends to be higher which results in a much nicer puree. If you want to make it vegan, swap out the milk for a non-dairy milk of your choice and add some extra virgin oil of your choice to rebalance the fat.

Method

1. Peel and chop the parsnip. Add to a pot with the milk and cook until softened. Allow to cool and then blitz with the butter in a high powered blender until smooth and season with salt and white pepper.
2. Rehydrate the sea spaghetti in a bowl of water. Add to a pot with fresh 450g water and bring to a boil, but do not over boil.
3. Strain the sea spaghetti and reserve the cooking water – this is your dashi.
4. In a clean pot, gently sauté the garlic cloves, onion and chilli until the garlic has softened. Add the lentils and the dashi and cook until the lentils are tender. You can add a little more water if you feel the lentils need further cooking. Discard the chilli and garlic cloves.
5. Chop the sea spaghetti roughly, reserving some for garnishing.
6. Toss together the lentils and chopped sea spaghetti.
7. To Serve: Reheat the parnsnip puree in a pan and spoon onto the centre of a plate, creating a well in which to nestle the lentil and sea spaghetti mix. Slice a handful of blackberries and arrange as you’d like. Top with the reserved sea spaghetti