Flavoured Salts

Lately it seems that a significant number of my dining out experiences have involved an addition of beautiful and intentionally paired flavoured salts. As an accompaniment, they have taken whatever I was eating to another level, further emphasizing a particular flavour or element, and enhancing the dish wonderfully. On a purely aesthetic level, they add something unique to the plating or presentation of elements, whether artfully scattered on the plate beside your food or in tiny little dishes set on the table.

Why just add salt when you can add a citrus salt? Or a curried salt? Togarashi? Chili pepper?

The basic principle is to combine salt and seasoning in your food processor or blender. Blitz to combine. I used a ratio of one cup of kosher salt to about two teaspoons of flavour (be that the zest or paprika).

I combined salt with the zest of one lemon for a beautiful citrus salt. (If you haven't let the zest dry, then you'll want to let the combination air dry before sealing it away.) Good on chicken or fish, all sorts of veg, your favourite salad... Momma R wants to try it on fruit, like a beautiful ripe tomato.

The combination of kosher salt and two teaspoons of smoked paprika yielded an incredible flavour addition to meat or vegetables (or as I raved before... with pretty hard boiled eggs).

The combinations are endless... but such a little thing can add so much to your dish.