Discover Codium Blue: the truffle of the sea
Koppert Cress, the company that supplies chefs with freshly sprouted plants, has launched something new, and it’s quite revolutionary. The new plant is called Codium Blue, also known as the ‘Truffle of the Sea’. This unique type of seaweed has a savoury umami flavour and refreshing saltiness. Its deep blue-green colour and coral-like structure really stand out on the plate, making it even more appealing.
Cresses are freshly sprouted plants made from 100% natural, aromatic plants. You’ve undoubtedly eaten them before, such as garden cress and watercress. Chefs love the intensity of the flavour and aroma of cresses. And when they also look particularly special, that’s an added bonus, of course.
Flavour and uses
The new Codium Blue is crunchy and juicy, and its savoury umami experience works well as a truffle substitute. Its deep blue-green colour and coral-like structure also make dishes spectacular to look at. Codium Blue is ideal with shellfish, fish, chicken and plant-based dishes, and is surprisingly delicious in pâtisserie, desserts and ice cream. Rinse it lightly and you can eat it raw as sashimi; lightly cooked, it can be used wherever you want to add a truffle-like flavour to your dish. You can also use it in oil and vinaigrette. Another delicious option: with gin!
And unlike truffles, Codium Blue is available all year round, a major advantage for chefs. It is cultivated and transported in filtered saltwater.
Origin
Codium Blue owes its name to the Latin word ‘Codium’ and the ‘Blue Zones’ where this seaweed is found. There are more than 100 species of codium worldwide, each with unique flavours, colours and textures. It is also known as ‘Dead man’s fingers’ because of its branches, which look just like fingers. This seaweed can be found all along the Mediterranean coast and is harvested seasonally.
Blue Zones
Have you ever heard of Blue Zones? These are areas where the healthiest and happiest people in the world live, growing considerably older than the rest of the world’s population. The Greek island of Ikaria is one of the five Blue Zones in the world. The other Blue Zones are the Italian island of Sardinia, the city of Loma Linda in California, Nicoya in Costa Rica and the Japanese island group of Okinawa.
Say yes to the cress
Would you like to get started with the exceptional Codium Blue yourself? The new codium is not available in supermarkets. But on the Koppert Cress website, you can see where Codium Blue is available. And if you really want to impress with Codium Blue, get inspired by recipes from top chefs.
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