Dabberlocks

Atlantic Ocean’s wakame relative

Dabberlocks (Alaria esculenta) is a close relative of the famous Japanese seaweed wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) — both are kelp species in the Alariaceae family with similar growth forms and similar culinary uses.

The Atlantic version is less famous globally, but in Scotland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Maritime Canada, dabberlocks has been a traditional food for centuries — long predating the Western interest in Japanese seaweed.

A traditional Scottish food

In Scottish coastal communities, dabberlocks (the Scottish vernacular name) was historically gathered at low tide and used as:

• An ingredient in vegetable soups and stews
• A salad green (when very young and tender)
• A simple snack (chewed for its salty mineral character)
• A traditional medicine for various complaints

The Scottish poet John Leyden wrote about dabberlocks in 1803, suggesting that the seaweed was a familiar food in his era. Modern revival of Scottish foraged foods has brought dabberlocks back into specialty Scottish cuisine.

Iceland’s “winged kelp”

In Iceland, dabberlocks is called söl (or seli), and was historically a major food source during long Icelandic winters when fresh vegetables were essentially unavailable. Vikings and medieval Icelanders dried huge quantities of dabberlocks for off-season eating.

Modern Icelandic cuisine has revived dabberlocks as part of the “New Nordic” culinary movement — appearing in tasting menus, artisanal food shops, and home kitchens that emphasize traditional Nordic ingredients.

Sustainable aquaculture potential

Dabberlocks has emerged as a promising aquaculture crop in the Atlantic — easy to cultivate on long ropes in cold ocean waters, fast-growing (full harvest in 6-9 months), and requiring no feed or fertilizer.

Several pilot dabberlocks farms operate in Norway, Scotland, Maine, and Nova Scotia, with growing markets in:

• Alternative-protein food production
• Aquaculture feed for fish farming
• Specialty food for high-end restaurants
• Health-supplement industries

Some food-system researchers see dabberlocks aquaculture as a potential sustainable food source for the North Atlantic — high-protein, low-impact, and well-suited to climate-resilient food systems.

How to use dabberlocks

Modern recipes treat dabberlocks similarly to wakame:

1. Rehydrate dried dabberlocks in cold water for 5-10 minutes
2. Squeeze out excess water
3. Slice or chop as desired
4. Add to soups, stir-fries, salads, or use as a sushi-style wrap

The flavor is mildly oceanic, slightly sweet, with subtle earthy notes — comparable to wakame but with a slightly different mineral profile. Many cooks describe dabberlocks as “wakame’s older sibling” — similar but with a distinctly Atlantic character.