Carla Lamont from Ninth Wave Restaurant on Mull has given us some recipes which will help warm our cockles – the weather is still a bit dreich so settle down with a book and a bowl of Smoked Haddock and Shony Chowder. Carla says “I use both flowers and seaweeds as unique seasoning tools. With their high iodine content and saltiness, they add a wonderful element to scallops, crab or fish dishes.”

One thing is for certain, Ninth Wave is a pilgrimage spot in its own right, never mind paying a visit to Iona. And then again, you could do both?

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

5 shallots, cut into 1cm dice

2 carrots, cut into 1cm dice

4 stalks celery, cut into 1cm dice

2 tbsp Shony

1 tbsp white flour

1 dried bay leaf

600g cooled fish stock

600g mixed fish (2cm cubes) of skinless smoked haddock, salmon and hake fillet, pin bones removed

300ml thick double cream

100ml good chardonnay wine

pinch sea salt and pepper

Method:

Heat a large heavy pot over a low heat and stir constantly gently sweating the shallots, celery and carrots in the butter until shallots are translucent.

Add the white flour and mix well, cook over a medium heat for a minute, until flour mixture has turned a toasty light brown colour.

Add the white wine and cook for a couple of minutes while stirring until all the flour lumps have dissolved. Add stock, Mara Shony and Bay Leaf. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil while stirring. Turn down to simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the bottom of the pan does not burn.

When carrots are done season with salt and pepper. Add the fish and cook over a low heat until the fish is almost done, 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder immediately let it cool a bit then refrigerate, otherwise, let it sit for an hour at room temperature, allowing the flavours to meld.

When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over a low heat until almost boiling.

Finish each serving with a sprinkling of Mara Shony and serve with Shony Flaxseed and Almond Crackers.

Shony was finalist in the World Food Innovation Awards and won a Great Taste Gold Award earlier last year and was described by the judges as:

"delicate flakes that have a powerful impact...the aroma is reminiscent of a rockpool, with a clarity that is remarkable. Every kitchen should have some!"

If you would like to contribute a recipe you've discovered using Mara seaweed then please email , facebook or tweet .