Carrageen drink recipe for recovering health

Carrageen moss is a seaweed that grows around the coasts of Ireland and is a popular ingredient in many recipes both traditional and contemporary.

There are numerous beneficial qualities to this seaweed. (Click here to read about them), and one of the most traditional ways to use this is as a remedy for 'flu and chest infections/coughs.


What you need:

Carrageen moss (approx. 10g)
Water (approx. 700ml)
Whole lemon (1)
Cloves (approx 3)
Honey (to taste)


What you do:

• Prepare seaweed by soaking for half an hour in water and then thoroughly washing under running water removing any roots
  
• Put the carrageen moss into a pot with water and boil.


• Add juice of 1 lemon together with the rind (basically whole thing but separated) and cloves


• Cover and simmer for half an hour


• Strain and add honey to taste
  

Coincidentally I had an upper respiratory tract infection and chesty cough when making this so made the trying of it all the more authentic. Unfortunately my taste and smell senses would have been compromised some what.
Initially I was struck by the smell when it was boiling, it brought me to the seaside with the unique algal smell and I was a bit anxious after what happened with the crubeens. My mother immediately recognised it even though the last time she had it was as a very small child.

The drink was very palatable. I never really liked hot lemon and honey but this I did like. Initially there is the seaweed taste, which is not horrible followed by the lemony tones neither of which are too overpowering. I happily drank 2 full mugs of the stuff but would probably use more Carrageen moss or less water next time for a stronger taste (so it seems more like medicine!). I can't say I was cured since it takes a sustained barrage of doses morning noon and night to be effective and 50g costs 3.30 (euros) so I would not really be tempted to use it nowadays whenever I get a sniffle. Still if I am ever stuck near the Irish coast in summer with no hope of getting to the chemist to treat my cough, I'm laughing!

Carrageen moss - more than just an algae

Algae is something I am familiar with. On a daily basis I drink the microscopic type of algae, Spirulina, and so I looked forward to trying it's macroscopic cousin in the form of seaweed or Carrageen moss (Chondrus Crispus). Also known as Irish moss, it is a dark purplish seaweed and is abundantly found growing on the rocks in the lower part of the Irish seashore, Carraig being Gaelic for rock.

The seaweed is dried out and bleached in the sun after being collected at low tide during the summer. After purchase the seaweed is usually soaked for about 15 mins to half an hour to rehydrate and then washed thoroughly under cold running water to remove dirt and much of the salt.

Carrageen moss is high in vitamins and minerals such as iodine, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and others but also has a range of other effects such as being an antiseptic, digestive aid, blood thinner and it encourages phlegm to be coughed up while soothing dry mucous membranes. The latter explaining why it is traditionally used in Ireland for com batting chesty coughs or chest infections.

As well as it's traditional medicinal usage, it also has a traditional culinary usage in that it is a very good thickening agent for soups, stews and in making jellies.

Recipes

Carrageen drink for flu, chesty coughs or general malaise.

Carrageen milk dessert

Carrageen jelly

Cruibins (crubeens) or pigs' trotters

I have always heard stories from people of my parents' generation, in particular Irish, talking about how wonderful and tasty the part of the pig that separates it from the muck on the ground is. Perhaps as adults we find delight in terrifying those younger with, almost cannibalistic, tales of gnawing on the pink feet not dissimilar to an ogre would. What I do not understand is why none of these people are eating them nowadays. Maybe these people did find them delicious....until they first tried proper bacon and after comparing, decided to abandon all but the story telling factor.

Although I have read that trotters have transcended the working class arena of years ago into the very poshest of restaurants. Trotters are making a comeback so look out for them on those menus! They would most likely be prepared differently to how I done them, without the bones.

Crubeens were traditionally a pub snack on Saturday evenings or on stalls by pubs who did not sell them. The grease and salt being used to good effect and driving up the sales of stout (a tactic well used by publicans worldwide in one way or another).

What you need:

Trotters, I used 2 (from your butcher, might be more difficult to find than bacon rashers)

Lots of salt and water

What you do:

• Wash trotters thoroughly (they have been been marinated in muck for years!). Can be quite difficult if you do not like looking and washing your dinner with it's hair and nails still on.
• Cover with salted water and soak overnight or at least 12 hours.
• Rinse and cover with fresh cold water and bring to the boil.
• Remove scum that forms at water surface.
• Lower heat and simmer for 3 hours or until tender.
• Drain and serve with mustard, soda bread and a pint of stout.

This is a very simple way but you can also add vegetables (onion, carrot) and herbs (thyme, cloves, parsley, bay leaves) to the boiling water to add more flavour.

Furthermore the boiled trotters can be rolled in beaten egg, then dry breadcrumbs and fried in bacon fat or just roasted in the oven to make the outsides nice and crispy.

I have to admit at this stage that I did not get to try my own crubeens. I learnt an invaluable lesson about shelf life of trotters. I got them from the butchers and kept them in the fridge for 3 days before cooking which I thought would not be a problem. There was a slight smell when I was photographing them but nothing terrible or unexpected. I was told there can be a distinct smell associated with them when they are cooking and that did not worry me.

However soon after they had come to the boil, the house stank. I mean there was a stench like nothing I have ever imagined. I thought it would go away but after a couple of hours even with every window open , it just got worse and worse. I chucked a few onions in at some point hoping to blunt the smell but no joy (possibly why aromatic herbs are used widely, to curb the boiling bacon smell).

I had to stop boiling them as family members started to develop trembling in their legs.

In the end, the kitchen was quarantined and out of action and i was sent out to KFC.

I do not know if they were off to start with or my 3 day delay was too long but my one message to you is: use them on the day of purchase (or separation if your a farmer), or buy them cured so they have less chance of being, or going off.

I really want to taste these as the meat is supposed to be extremely tender and I am determined to try everything once so when the day comes that I pluck up the courage to attempt them again this site will be updated.