Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread Hummus

Another really easy lush green Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread recipe. This time I decided to stir some bara lawr into a traditional hummus base. 

I have also used Bara Lawr – Welsh Laverbread Hummus as a sandwich spread.  

Bara Lawr - Welsh Laverbread Hummus
Your will need
Ingredients
4-6 tablespoons fresh laverbread
1 x 400g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves of garlic
Juice of a lemon
Olive oil
1 teaspoon Tahini
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
In a food processor blend all the ingredients to taste adding more of less oil if necessary.

Previously shared Hummus Recipes on my blog
Carrot Hummus - July 2014
Beetroot Hummus - February 2013
Wild Garlic Hummus April 2011 
Traditional Hummus January 2010 

Welsh Lavebread Bara Lawr and Leeks Risotto

I made a Welsh Laverbread Bara Lawr and Leeks Risotto over the weekend with the fresh laverbread that I picked up from the market in the city of Cardiff. 

By the time it came to eating, making and plating it up, it had got a little too dark for a photograph, so you will have to forgive me and imagine how the Welsh Laverbread Leeks Risotto looked.  

Creamy white risotto with flecks of dark green from both sweet leeks and laverbread. It tasted lovely actually.  I liked how the laverbread clung onto the rice like a green edible rice paper.  I will definitely be making it again and hopefully the next time I will get a photograph for you.

Please also check out my Welsh Rarebit Risotto

Welsh Laverbread and Leeks Risotto
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium leeks (green and white parts), sliced an cleaned
200g risotto rice
2 pints vegetable stock
2 - 4 tablespoons fresh laverbread
Optional: 60g - 100g cheddar cheese or Vegan Alternative, grated
1 tablespoon Tamari sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a wide shallow pan and cook the leeks until softened. 
Stir in the rice until coated and sauté with the leeks until the rice is translucent. 
Then gradually add the stock. 
Stir until the rice is tender – this will take about 30 minutes. 
Halfway through the process stir in the laverbread.
You may not need all the liquid.
A couple of minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the Tamari and optional  cheese or vegan alternative.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately. 

Welsh Laverbread Cakes and a Piece of Toast

If your a regular reader of my Welsh Vegetarian food blog, you will have seen laverbread featured many times, but for those of you who are not familiar with this Welsh delicacy, in a nutshell Laverbread or bara lawr  as it is known in some parts of Wales is simply cooked seaweed that has been pureed.  It has a pate like consistency, so perfect for spreading on toast.  Welsh Laverbread not to everyone's taste, but I recommend you trying it at least once if your ever in Wales, but saying that its not easy to get hold of, even for those of us who live in the Welsh valleys of Wales.

Many independent high street shops like traditional green grocers and fishmongers no longer exist.  These were places where you can you could pick up fresh sea vegetables like samphire and laverbread are closing down in towns or have closed down due to economic downturn as people snub the High Street and flock to shopping malls stuck in some industrial estate, The places to get fresh laverbread these days in South Wales and South West are cities that have thriving indoor markets.  Cities like Cardiff and  Swansea (and perhaps large market towns like Abergavenny) where I have always been able to purchase fresh laverbread. 

I consider myself a progressive cook with fusion having in the past created vegetarian Welsh Laverbread Burgers aka Glorified Laverbread Cakes, and last year Vegan Welsh Woman's Laverbread Caviar, but today I decided to keep it pure, simple and traditional.

I made these little Welsh Laverbread Cakes, also known as patties this morning.  The recipe is so simple. Stir the fresh laverbread with rolled porridge oats, if you find the mixture too soft, just add some more oats to it and shape into round little patties. Put in the fridge to firm up, when ready to eat.  Shallow fray in a little oil or butter until crisp and a golden crust has appeared.  Serve immediately.