Savory Seaweed Sesame Scones

Reminiscent of the food traditions of Ireland and Scottland, these buttery, flakey scones are flavored with the subtle sea flavor of dulse seaweed. Serve them with a touch of herb butter or jam as a hearty addition at breakfast, teatime, or dinner to accompany a stew.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

Scones:

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned oats, uncooked

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon dulse granules 

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ cup margarine, chilled, sliced  

½ cup milk (plain, plant-based or dairy)

Seaweed Topping:

1 teaspoon dulse granules

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, dulse granules, sesame seeds, salt, black pepper, and brown sugar. 

3. Cut margarine into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork until mixture becomes crumbly. 

4. Add milk and mix in with a fork or pastry blender just until smooth and well combined. Do not overmix. 

5. Roll or pat out dough on a floured surface into an 8-inch circle about 1-inch thick. 

6. Use a round biscuit cutter or a mason jar (about 2 ½ inches diameter) to cut into 10 circles. (Alternatively, slice the dough into 8 equal wedges.) 

7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the scones over the parchment paper, allowing room to rise. 

8. Make the seaweed topping by mixing dulse granules, sesame seeds, and course sea salt in a small dish. Evenly sprinkle the surface of each scone with seaweed topping.  

9. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden on top and baked through. 

10. Makes 10 servings (1 scone per serving). Store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Notes:

• Find dulse granules in many well-stocked supermarkets or online. If you can’t find dulse, substitute with nori powder. Just place nori sheets in a small blender and process until ground. 

• Serve with jam or herb butter (mix margarine with 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs), as desired. 

• May substitute beige sesame seeds for black seaweed. 

• May use whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour blend in place of all purpose flour.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1 scone):

197 calories, 22 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams protein, 11 grams total fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 289 milligrams sodium, 0 milligrams cholesterol. 1 gram sugar

Recipe by Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN, known as The Plant-Powered Dietitian, a plant-based, sustainability expert, co-founder of Food + Planet, and author of the Plant-Powered book series. Follow her @sharonpalmerRD and SharonPalmer.com.