Spain is the godfather of modern cuisine and in recent years the cutting edge of Spanish cuisine has been exploring seaweeds and algae. At first it doesn’t sound appetising, but it isn’t that much of a stretch – think of nori in sushi and spirulina in smoothies. Usually they’re not the prominent flavour in dishes, but these recipes make these nutrient-dense superfoods and their earthy flavour the main attraction.

1 Lemon & kombu curd Break up 5g dried kombu and combine with 100ml lemon juice, 100g sugar and 2 beaten eggs in a heatproof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, around 10 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in 75g cold, cubed butter until smooth and glossy. Strain the curd through a fine sieve to remove kombu pieces for a silky texture. Transfer to a clean jar and refrigerate. This will keep for up to a week in the fridge.

2 Tempura sea lettuce & oyster mushrooms Heat some vegetable oil in a deep pan to 180°C for frying. Whisk 100g plain flour, 50g cornflour and 200ml ice-cold sparkling water in a bowl until just combined, leaving it slightly lumpy. Dip 15g dried sea lettuce in cold water to rehydrate and pat dry. Dip the sea lettuce and 100g small oyster mushroom pieces into the batter, allowing excess to drip off. Fry until golden and crisp, about 1-2 minutes, then drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with a side of ponzu or soy dipping sauce.

3 Pacifica dashi In a saucepan, combine 10g dried kombu, 20g ginger and 4-5 washed kawakawa leaves with 750ml cold water. Slowly heat until just below boiling and add 100g smoked kahawai. Allow the fish to steep for 5 minutes without boiling to avoid bitterness. Strain the dashi through a fine sieve, yielding a clear, umami-rich broth. Use immediately as a base for soups, broths, or sauces, or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

4 Slow kelp pepper lamb rumps Use dried kelp flakes to liberally season some lamb rumps in on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Heat an oven to 85℃. Sear the lamb rumps on all sides in a hot pan and put onto a baking rack over a roasting pan. Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.