February 18, 2020

By Bobbie Buzzell, WSG Science Communications Fellow 

Ready to try something really off the beaten path with kelp? If you’ve been following our kelp recipe blogs, you may have noticed an Asian theme with previous posts. But there are indeed other cultures that have incorporated kelp into their cuisine. For this recipe we’re taking a trip down south, where “cochayuyo”, a type of bull kelp, is used up and down the Chilean coast. Cochayuyo (pronounced cach-eh-you-yoh) has been a popular ingredient for centuries in Chile, commonly added to stews, soups, empanadas, salads and more. This particular species might be difficult to find at the store, but there is a seller on Etsy that harvests and sells bull kelp in California. While the title may be a little misleading, “Cochayuyo Chocolates” doesn’t have any chocolate but it is a sweet and decadent dessert that has been made for generations in Chile. 

Ingredients:

Chopped cochayuyo (or bull kelp)
Quince jam 
Champagne cookies, ground
Grated coconut 
Chopped nuts (optional)

Photo Credit: AlgaLab

1. Boil the chopped cochayuyo until it is soft, then mash and grind it. 

2. Crush the quince jam with a fork.

3. Mix the cochayuyo, ground cookies, crushed quince jam, and nuts (if using).

4. Use your hands to roll the mixture into golf ball size, or smaller, portions.

5. Coat the balls in the grated coconut. Keep refrigerated. 

The original recipe states to use equal parts cochayuyo and quince jam. The specific amount just depends on how many you want to make, but the other ingredients would be worth experimenting with to find just the right amounts and combination for your taste. Also, boiling the cochayuyo may “cook” out all the the healthy nutrients, so you might try baking it instead. Either way the goal is to get it soft so it can be easily mashed and combined with the other ingredients.