Kombu is an ingredient of many talents - not only is it packed with nutrients and flavour, but it was key in the discovery of umami in 1908 and is the primary ingredient in the near-ubiquitous Japanese stock dashi. Not bad for a piece of seaweed.

Learn how to make dashi with kombu and you will have a rich supply of stock for soups and broths - Andrew MacKenzie makes a fragrant kombu miso broth to serve over his scallops with seaweed, while Steven Smith’s Jersey Royals with crispy eggs recipe incorporates homemade dashi with pork stock for extra meaty flavour. Phil Fanning does not go down the stock route, instead incorporating kombu into a dill pickle to serve with his beautifully presented cured mackerel.