The flavored salt is extremely simple and quick to prepare, but it is at the same time a preparation of great effect. With this method, you can enjoy even in winter the scent and aroma of herbs (such as basil and mint) which at this time are ” dormant ” .
Flavored salt is very useful in the preparation of many dishes (from salted sea bass, roast, grilled meat, salads) with which gives that something extra that will make your kitchen special in the eyes of your guests. It will also be a good idea for gifts greedy and customized to friends and relatives, especially at Christmas. The effort will be minimal and the excellent result :
1.) The first step in the preparation of this meeting, is to decide which foods we want to use it, which we want to give the flavor to our rooms and what herbs we use. Salt flavored with rosemary, for example, is great for seasoning tasty baked potatoes, succulent roast or prepare sea bass, sea bream and other fish baked in salt. Then we decide if we prefer to use salt or up, the second is preferable for dressing salads or roasts. The first is ideal for fish in salt or Serve, with creativity and elegance, fillets of meat and fish or even to make the marinade barbecue.
2.) Let’s start: take herbs whose aroma we decided to want to ” imprisoned ” in our salt and chop (you can use your food processor, or chop them by hand with a knife on the chopping board). Once it has a finely chopped herbs (which you can also add chopped garlic) divide it evenly on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake at a temperature of 60° C for two to three hours. When the mixture will have lost all the moisture and will be dried, mix it with salt considering a ratio of 1/3 to 2/3 of herbs and salt. Now your rooms will be ready, there will only have to pick up some glass jars (it is important to sterilize them first), fill them with salt and perhaps make a homemade and creative packaging.
3.) Once you learn the simple technique you can enrich your dishes flavoring salt with spices or other ingredients. You can pick and impress your guests with citrus salt (in this case, take the orange peel, the private White, chop and dried as the other herbs), spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, fennel, pepper, etc …) or you can create delicious bath salts using fragrant flowers such as lavender …. Another idea is the aromatic salt and balsamic vinegar: you will reduce the vinegar on low heat and then join the salt; and shed the mixture on a baking sheet and will make it dry for one hour at 160° C. Also try using the particular salt, already colored and aromatic her as Himalayan pink salt, black salt from Cyprus or smoked salt (now found in most supermarkets): you can play with the color scheme and ” aromatic ” and you will give your dishes a thing to haute cuisine. With a little creativity (there will be enough of transparent bags and some colored tape) you realize goodie welcome, chic and very cheap.
Make sure you have at hand :
- Tools : chopper, cutting board, sharp knife, sterilized glass jars, oven or microwave.
- Ingredients : salt (preferably ” flower of salt ” ) and salt to taste, herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, basil, etc ..).
Never forget :
- For a barbecue chefs : create a crust of salt and spices around your flesh, this will keep the juices inside the meat, making it more tender and will infuse the flavor.
- If the time you have been available is poor, instead of dried herbs in the oven, you can use the microwave: a few minutes and herbs are dried.
- If you prefer to chop the herbs with a knife used ceramic knife: you will make less effort and you will obtain a chopped very fine.