Pasta with samphire tapenade & sea spinach

For ➍
tapenade:
100 g samphire
1 handfull unsalted cashew nuts
1 clove garlic
4 tbs olive oil, extra virgin
juice ½ lemon (or more to taste)
pepper
pasta:
500 g spaghetti
100 g sea spinach
1 clove garlic
3 hands of sun-dried tomatoes
olive oil
shaved lamb's cheese or pecorino

For the tapenade, wash the samphire and cut the garlic into large pieces. Pour the olive oil into the food processor, adding a handful of the samphire. While turning, add the rest of the samphire, the garlic, and the lemon juice. Also add the cashew nuts and turn into a coarse pasta. Season with pepper.
Wash the sea spinach and cut the garlic into small pieces. Put the wok on the fire and let it get well hot. Pour some olive oil in the pan and add the garlic. Then quickly sprinkle the sea spinach in the wok and stir-fry very briefly while constantly stirring.
Cook the spaghetti al dente. When the spaghetti is ready, stir in the tapenade. Put the spaghetti on the plates and carefully mix the sea spinach and the sun-dried tomatoes into the pasta.
Toss small pinch of pepper and possibly some olive oil and some cheese on the pasta

Lam met lamsoor (Dutch lamb with sea spinach)

For ➍
600 g leg of lamb, without bone*
olive oil
½ bulb of garlic, crushed
1 sprig of thyme
1 sprig of rosemary
20 spring onions**
200 g sea spinach
a handful of fresh mint
100 g butter
pepper***

Preheat oven to 200°C.
Heat the olive oil and brown the meat. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic and wrap in aluminum foil. Put in the oven for 40 m for rose meat (or slightly more for well-done). When the meat is ready, let it rest for 10 m on a plate.
Meanwhile, cut the spring onions in length. Melt 50 g butter and sauté the spring onions and the sea-spinach**** for 4 m.
Chop mint. Melt 50 g butter and add mint for 1 m.
Remove foil from meat, remove thyme, rosemary and garlic. Cut into slices.
Put on a plate with sea spinach. Spread a little mint butter on the meat.Serve with boiled spring potatoes.

*Or use 12 rib chops. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic to some oil. Cover the meat and let rest in foil for 30 m.Bake in oil or butter for 4 m a side.
*Instead, use 4 large slices of leg of lamb. Add pepper, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic to some oil. Cover the meat and let rest in foil for 30 m. Bake in oil or butter for 3 m a side.
**Use shallots instead. Or mix of white onion and chives.
***Do not use salt as the sea spinach is naturally salted.
****Wash as quickly as possible in a colander under cold running water. When the sea spinach is washed in too much water, some of the salty taste is lost.

Sea spinach, also called sea beet, is similar to normal spinach but a bit bitter and more salty. This is the ancestor of the garden beetroot and is also related to spinach. It was first cultivated about 2000 years ago in the Middle East as a vegetable.
It can be found near the sea side on shingle beaches and cliffs as well as other coastal habitats. Due to the salty taste, it is an excellent companion to meaty fish, but can be served as a delicacy on it's own.
In Holland's Zeeland province, (where it's called 'lamsoor' ('lamb's ear'), it is served with lamb as above.
On the Belgium coast, in the Zwin reserve, it's called 'Zwinneblomme' ('flower of the Zwin', and in France its purple flowers made it 'lavande de mer' ('sea lavender').
Read more sea vegetables recipes.

Shark & sea spinach salad

For ➍
4 shark steaks*
mixed lettuce**
6 cherry tomatoes**
sea spinach***
1 garlic clove
salt & pepper
oil

Cut the shark's steaks into cubes. Roast them with a little bit of oil and crushed garlic. Let it cook at least for 5 m until brown.

In a wok, cook the sea spinach with a tiny bit of water until soft and tender, no longer than 4 m. They should result crispy.

Alternatively, slice a shallot, sauté it in some butter, add the blanched sea spinach. Do not brown.

Prepare the salad with the cherry tomatoes. Add oil and a pinch of salt**.

Lay the salad on a plate, add the shark on top. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Spread the sea spinach beside.

*Use monkfish instead. Or white fish fillets. Don't cube them.
**Use only sea spinach instead. Double the quantity.
***The fish and spinach version will also work with regular spinach. Or use samphire.

Read more sea vegetables recipes.

Scallops, green apple & sea vegetables

For ➋-➍*
6-8 scallops
2 Granny Smith apples
4 tbs olive oil
1 tbs butter
175 g sea spinach or samphire, washed
sea salt & black pepper
4 tbs lime vinaigrette**

Rinse the scallops under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the peeled apples into thin slices along the core, then into thin strips. Mix 4 tbs lime vinaigrette through.

Put 2 tbs of olive oil with the butter and 1 tbs of hot water in a large pan. Heat. Add the sea spinach or samphire. Soften for 2 m.

Meanwhile, rub a skillet lightly with olive oil. Heat it.

Put a little sea salt and black pepper on both sides of the scallops. Grill them over high heat for 1 m or until golden brown.

Divide the sea spinach or samphire on warm plates. Put the scallops on top. Cover it with apple strips. Spoon a little lemon vinaigrette next to the food.

*Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as main dish.
**Or lemon vinaigrette.

Read tip on cooking scallops.

Sea spinach @ wok

For ➋
250 g (young) sea spinach
1 small cucumber
2 spring onions*
2 tbs olive oil
1 ts lemon juice
pepper

Remove the tough stems from the sea spinach. Wash as quickly as possible in a colander under cold running water (when the sea spinach is washed in too much water, some of the salty taste is lost.)

Drain well.

Clean the spring onions and cut them into pieces of 3 cm.

Wash the cucumber. Halve it lengthwise, halve the cucumber crosswise. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and the moisture.

Grate the cucumber small ribbons.

Heat a wok or wide frying pan. Add the olive oil.

Stir-fry the sea spinach with the spring onions and cucumber for 2-3 m.

Season with lemon juice and pepper.

Serve with pasta, fish or lamb.

*Use white onion and chives instead.

Lemon pasta with mozzarella & sea spinach

For ➍
75 ml extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled & thinly sliced
150 grams of sea spinach, washed & dried
grated rind of 2 lemons,
juice of 1 lemon
salt & freshly ground pepper
500 g of (lemon) pasta
2 balls buffalo mozzarella, torn into pieces
50 g Parmigiano cheese, coarsely grated

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the garlic gently until golden brown.

Remove the garlic from the pan. Stir fry the sea spinach a few m.

Remove from heat. Stir in the garlic slices, lemon juice and lemon zest mixture. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Cook the pasta until tender, cold rinse. Mix with sea spinach mixture and mozzarella.

Serve in deep soup plates. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano.

Read more spaghetti & linguine recipes: a quick spaghetti, spaghetti with scallops & tomatoes, scallops & rucola spaghetti, spaghetti alla carbonara, spaghetti with vegetables, shrimps fra diavolo, raw tomato spaghetti, spaghetti with clams, spaghetti with small clams, spaghetti with oil & garlic, spaghetti alla puttanesca, Palermo spaghetti with tomatoes & mint, American-Italian spaghetti with meatballs, vermicelli with parsley sauce, shrimps & Brie linguine, butter & tomato pasta sauce.