Jelly belly

The Welsh reckon we might be eating jellyfish and chips out of a newspaper instead of cod, a prestigious Spanish chef has been incorporating them into risotto and noodle dishes, and spicy jellyfish salad has long been a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. Jellyfish are making their way to a table near you, and as overfishing robs the oceans of more conventional dishes, we need to be armed with the knowledge about how to sizzle up a jelly feast.

So is it safe to eat a beastie covered in stinging cells for your dinner? Processed jellyfish has had its tentacles removed and been cured in salt and alum. These pancake-shaped pieces simply need soaking overnight in the fridge, before being drained, sliced and blanched in boiling water.

The salting process breaks down the poison in the stinging cells, and should make for a pain-free dining experience. However, some people still report a tingling sensation in their mouths, or experience minor outbreaks of hives when eating jellyfish.

If you're still not convinced, frying it in batter and dipping it in chilli sauce might be an easy foray into jellyfish cookery. A more adventurous chef might want to serve some sesame jellyfish or a hearty soup at their next dinner party. If your guests seem uneasy, remind them that it's a superfood: low in calories and fat. Failing that, at least they'll offer to cook next time.