Codium is a shrub-like seaweed which appears in gradation from light to dark green and grows in the intertidal and subtidal zones allowing for harvest when the tide is out. Because of its dendritic form it is sometimes called stag seaweed or green sea fingers. With a tendency to attach to shellfish and drift away, it is considered a nuisance in aquaculture operations and is nicknamed “oyster thief.” With a velvety texture calling to mind both caviar and okra and a flavor of seawater, codium is best eaten raw or quickly blanched in a salad or as an accompaniment to dishes as it will turn mushy when cooked. This seaweed is fresh and salted. It should be rinsed for thirty seconds three times in cold water before being used in the kitchen.
A family company with two generations at work collecting wild seaweed from the Galician coast of northwestern Spain where the Atlantic meets the Cantabrian sea. Porto Muinos combine underwater diving with coastal rock harvesting when the tide is low to bring a variety of seaweeds to market through regulated and sustainable means and with great respect for the coastal ecosystem they inhabit.
