Sous Salt Chicken ~

Heavenly Chicken….made easy with any one of our Sous Salts.

Whichever Sous Salt you enjoy this recipe can be interchanged with any of them. From the Grey Sea Salt & Herbs to the Olive, Thyme, Lemon or the Porcini Mushroom.  Use the Smoked Paprika or the Sun Dried Tomato. Whichever salt you choose to use you can add a complimentary vegetable to the pan after your flip the chicken. A cup of wine works as well for a wonderful reduction sauce. Thyme, slices of lemon, garlic, almost anything you would like to experiment with will work for this easy chicken dinner. I usually pair it with some roasted brussel sprouts and a great combination of basmati rice, quinoa, farro and orzo cooked in chicken stock.  It’s 1 cup of rice to 1/4 cup of the other three. Add three cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 mins.  Then let it rest, covered for five minutes.

Ingredients

4 Servings

• 6 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 475°. Season chicken with whichever Sous Salt you would like to use and pepper. Heat oil in a 12″ cast-iron skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Place the chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook until golden brown approximately 2 – 4 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-high and continue cooking skin side down for about 8 minutes until the fat renders out.

Flip the chicken and transfer skillet to oven and cook 13 more minutes. At this time you can add shallots, mushrooms, white wine, tomatoes, mustard or whatever you would like to enhance the flavor of the chicken. Remove the chicken after the remaining cook time and let it rest 5 minutes.

Photo by David Prince

sausage flat bread aka pizza!

flat bread by another name..is pizza…it just sounds fancy

Quick and easy to prep, you can either make the dough yourself or purchase good quality pre made pizza dough at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods. This is a terrific meal with a Caesar Salad. I’ve included the pizza dough recipe here but don’t feel you have to tackle that as well if it feels daunting. Just make the sausage flatbread.

hot sausage and crispy kale pizza

Ingredients

4 SERVINGS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ¾ pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 bunch smooth lumache kale ribs and stems sliced into 1-inch pieces, leaves torn
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound prepared pizza dough, room temperature
• ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
• 1 cup grated Fontina cheese
• 1 cup home made ricotta (you can use store bought)

Preparation

Place a rack in upper third of oven, place your pizza stone or pizza steel* on the rack and preheat to 450°. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage and break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Let cook, undisturbed, until bottom sides are browned, about 4 minutes. Add lumache kale stems; cook, tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer sausage and chard stems to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add chard leaves, turning to coat to the skillet. Season with Sun Dried Tomato Sous Salt and pepper. Add to the bowl with sausage mixture.

Roll out your pizza dough on a piece of parchment paper to an oblong shape approximately 18 x 12. Coat dough with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and sprinkle with Sous Salt Olive, Lemon & Thyme. Top with half of Parmesan and rosemary, followed by sausage mixture, Fontina, ricotta, then remaining Parmesan and rosemary.

Bake pizza until crust is golden brown and crisp, approximately 15 – 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.

Photograph by Nicole Franzen

* I use a pizza steel that I purchased from Sur La Table. I absolutely love it because it gets really hot and produces the perfect bottom crust.  Also cooking the pizza at the upper third of your oven cooks the top of the pizza and promotes a bubbly cheese topping.

 

pizza dough recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tsp active rapid rise yeast
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 1/2 c warm water (between 105 and 115 degrees)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp Sous Salt Grey & Herb
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix the yeast with the warm water and honey. Let it bloom for 5 minutes. Put the flour, Sous Salt and the olive oil in the bowl of your mixer. After the yeast has bloomed add it to the mixer and mix until the dough pulls away from the side; then beat at low speed for 5 minutes.

Put the dough in a bowl that you have rubbed with olive oil. Oil the dough lightly, cover and let it rise for at least two hours or doubled in size.

Punch down and roll out to the desired shape or refrigerate until ready to use.  Remember that if you refrigerate it the dough must come to room temperature before you can roll it out.  That will take approximately 2 hours.

 

lamb meatballs with yogurt sauce

chile-cumin lamb meatballs with yogurt and cucumber

This receipe originated with Chef Seamus Mullen one of his featured tapas bar dishes at his El Colmado Restaurant in New York. I just morphed them into what my palatte enjoys and used our Smoked Paprika Sous Salt.

Ingredients

4 SERVINGS

Chile Sauce

• 3 pasilla chiles, seeds removed, chopped
• 1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ¼ cup Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Sous Salt Smoked Paprika
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil

Meatballs And Assembly

• ¼ small onion, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, 7 chopped, 1 clove finely grated
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon Smoked Paprika Sous Salt
• 1 large egg
• 1¼ pounds ground lamb
• 1 tablespoon rice flour or all-purpose flour
• 4–5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1½ tablespoons Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt Sauce

• ½ cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon Sous Salt Grey & Herb
• ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
• Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving)

Preparation

Chile Sauce

Toast chiles and red pepper flakes in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant about 3 minutes. Let cool. Working in batches, finely grind in spice mill, then transfer to a blender.

Add vinegar, Smoked Paprika Sous Salt, and garlic to blender and blend until smooth. With motor running, gradually stream in oil and blend until combined. Transfer to a large bowl; season with salt.

Do Ahead: Chile sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Meatballs and Assembly

Pulse onion, chopped garlic, parsley, oregano, and 1 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika Sous Salt in a food processor, scraping down sides as needed, until finely chopped. Add egg, lamb, and flour and pulse until evenly combined. Form lamb mixture into 1 ½” balls, I use an ice cream scoop to make sure all the meatballs are the same size.

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in 2 batches and adding another 1 Tbsp. oil to skillet if needed, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through, 5–8 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towels to drain.

Transfer all meatballs to bowl with chile sauce and toss to coat.

Toss cucumber in a medium bowl with lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil; season with Sous Salt Grey & Herb and pepper.

Mix the yogurt with the tahini, lemon juice, Sous Salt, thyme, mint and red pepper flake.

Plate by placing the yogurt sauce on the plate with the cucumber and add the meat balls. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Do Ahead: Meatball mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Recipe by Seamus Mullen, El Colmado, New York City
Photograph by Christopher Testani

Sweet Corn Ravioli

So I saved this recipe from Bon Appetit quite awhile ago because it looked and sounded heavenly.  Just had the time to make it this weekend as we were emerging from Turkey Dinner comas!  I’ve adjusted the salt to incorporate our Sous Salt Sun Dried Tomato. However you can use the Sous Salt Porcini Mushroom or the Olive, Thyme…even the Herb with Garlic and Red Pepper Flake.  Any of the salts are wonderful in this heavenly dish. This recipe makes 10 large raviolo so you can cut the recipe accordingly.

sweet corn and ricotta raviolo

These are jumbo-sized ravioli, and each one envelops an egg yolk, which will run when you cut the pasta open and mingle with the pan sauce. Duh-lish! Here are step-by-step instructions on how to shape and fill raviolo.

Ingredients

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut from cobs, cobs reserved
• Sous  Salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup whole-milk ricotta (Sous Salt recipe for Ricotta)
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil, plus 10 small basil leaves
• Cornmeal or semolina flour (for dusting)
• 1 pound Fresh Pasta Dough
• 10 small egg yolks
• 1 small egg, beaten to blend
• Extra-virgin olive oil and finely grated Parmesan (for serving)
• Finishing with Sous Salt Pinot Noir

Preparation

 Cook corncobs in a large pot of boiling salted water until softened, 45–60 minutes. Discard cobs; let broth sit at room temperature until ready to use.

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook corn kernels, shallot, garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and juices have evaporated and browned on bottom of pan, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add wine to skillet and cook, scraping up browned bits, until syrupy, about 2 minutes. Scrape into corn mixture, toss gently to combine, and let cool slightly. Stir ricotta and chopped basil into corn mixture; taste and season with Sous Salt and pepper if needed. Cover and let sit at room temperature until ready to use.

Dust a large rimmed baking sheet with cornmeal. Set pasta maker to thickest setting; dust lightly with cornmeal. Divide dough into 5 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping remaining dough wrapped in plastic as you work, flatten dough into a narrow rectangle (no wider than mouth of machine); pass through rollers. Fold dough as needed to fit and roll again. Repeat without folding, adjusting machine to thinner settings after every pass and dusting with cornmeal if sticky, until pasta is 1/16″ thick (setting 8 on most machines). (Alternatively, you can roll out sheets lengthwise with a rolling pin until 1/16″ thick.)

Lightly dust work surface with cornmeal. Working with 1 length at a time and keeping remaining dough wrapped in plastic as you work, cut dough in half crosswise. Starting 3″ from the short edge, spoon 2 Tbsp. corn mixture onto 1 strip. Spoon second mound 4″ away from first. Using the back of a tablespoon, create a divot in both mounds. Carefully slip 1 egg yolk into each depression. Top each yolk with 1 basil leaf. Lightly brush egg wash around each mound. Top with second dough strip; use fingertips to press dough around each mound to seal, then firmly press outward toward edges to push out any air pockets.

Cut out each ravioli with cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared sheet, dust with cornmeal, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

Return corn broth to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook ravioli, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes (ravioli will be slightly undercooked; they will continue to cook in the sauce). Using a slotted spoon, transfer ravioli to a plate.

Transfer 1 cup pasta cooking liquid to a large skillet. Bring to a boil; add ravioli and remaining 3 Tbsp. butter. Cook, gently spooning sauce over ravioli, until sauce thickens slightly, 1–2 minutes.

Divide ravioli among plates. Drizzle with oil, top with Parmesan, and season with pepper and Sous Salt Pinot Noir.

Do Ahead: Corn mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Recipe by Rick Martinez
Photograph by Alex Lau

Turkey ~ Butterflied to Perfection

Turkey ~ Butterflied to Perfection

Ingredients

• 1  10-12 pound turkey
• 1/2 cup olive oil or melted butter
• 1/4 cup Sous Salt Smoked Paprika
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon crushed black pepper

 

• 1 teaspoon Sous Salt & Herb
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 stalks of celery sliced
• 2 carrots sliced
• 1 – 2 tablespoons of olive oil

 

Directions

1. Have your butcher butterfly the turkey for you…it’s so much easier and they really do like to help! Make sure they include the backbone and giblets for your gravy preparation.
2. If you would like to brine the turkey this is the time to do it or you can prep and roast the turkey right away. Recipe for an optional Bourbon Brine is below. (I do love a brined turkey!)
3. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the bottom of the sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and 1 teaspoon of Sous Salt & Herbs and toss to coat.  Place the sheet pan rack over the vegetables.To roast the turkey, tuck the wingtips under the breast. Place the turkey on a sheet pan rack on the sheet pan.  Mix the herbs, Sous Salt Smoked Paprika, pepper to taste and either oil or butter whichever you prefer. Pat the skin dry, rub the turkey all over with the mixture, both sides and all crevices.
4. Roast skin side down at 350º F for 30 minutes, then flip the turkey so the breast is up, baste and roast for an additional hour basting every 30 minutes. Increase heat to 400º F and roast for an additional 15 minutes to further crisp up the skin. Use a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the thigh the thigh should be at 165 degrees.
5. Remove the turkey to a platter or cutting board and tent it loosely with foil. Let it sit 15 minutes. All ovens cook differently so the best way to check for a correctly cooked Turkey or Chicken is the thigh temp of 165 degrees.

 

Brine (optional)

I use Ree Drummond’s recipe for her Bourbon Turkey Brine it’s just beautiful to make with the tricolor peppercorns and the orange peels:

Ingredients

• 2 gallons cold water
• 3 cups apple cider
• 1 cup Bourbon
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons tricolor peppercorns
• 5 whole bay leaves
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• Peel of 3 large oranges, cut into large strips
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped off
• 1 uncooked fresh turkey

Directions

Combine the water, cider, Bourbon, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, orange strips and rosemary leaves in a large pot. Stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat and cover. Allow to cool completely, and then place into the fridge to chill.
Place an uncooked, fresh turkey in the chilled brine solution, and then refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours. (You may add more cold water if you need more liquid for the size of turkey you have.)
When you’re ready to roast the turkey, remove the turkey from the brine. Submerge the turkey in a pot or sink of fresh, cold water. Allow to sit in the clean water for 15 to 20 minutes to remove excess salt from the outside. Discard the brine.
Remove the turkey from the water, and then rinse again, pat dry and cook according to your normal roasting method.

Gravy

Ingredients

• 6 turkey wings, neck, back, giblets
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 quarts chicken broth, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme (stems t00)
• 3 sprigs of fresh parsley (stems too)
• 1 teaspoon Sous Salt Grey Herb
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup bourbon or cognac

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange a single layer of turkey wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter the onions over the top of the wings sprinkle the wings and onions with 1 teaspoon of Sous Salt Herb and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the preheated oven for 1-1/4 hours or until wings are browned.
2. Place browned wings and onions in a 5 quart stockpot. Deglaze the roasting pan with the cup of white wine scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the the wine and lovely little bits of heaven from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, carrot, celery and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.
3. Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull off the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil at this time I would add 1/2 cup of bourbon or cognac letting it simmer for 5 minutes.
4. At this point you can either serve the gravy as an au jus or if you prefer a thicker gravy…mix  1/2 cup of flour with 2 tablespoons of butter to form a paste. Whisk this into the simmering gravy and let it bubble nicely until the gravy reaches the consistency your family loves! 

tuscan white bean dip

This dip lends itself to being incredibly versatile and welcoming to your own unique additions. In this particular recipe I used a teaspoon of a good olive tapenade but you could chop up some artichoke hearts and add them as well.  This dip is also a perfect thickening agent for soups and stews because of it’s consistency. Rich in flavor it adds a viscosity to a soup or stew without the addition of flour. One other note, if you use one 15 ounce can of small Italian white beans in the recipe you will make about a cup of dip. So if you are having a large party or want leftovers, I’d use two cans of beans and increase the rest of the ingredients accordingly.

ingredients

• 1 – 15 ounce can of small Italian northern white beans
• 1 clove of garlic (if you happen to enjoy roasting garlic that is wonderful in this dip)
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 t Sous Salt Olive, Thyme & Lemon
• 1 t olive tapenade or 3  coarsely chopped kalamata olives
• 1 T chopped parsley
• 1 t fresh thyme
• apx 1/4 c olive oil (use a good one because it will be apparent if you don’t and depending on the consistency you want of the dip you might need to add more)
• Pepper to taste

directions

In your food processor place all of the ingredients (if you are using artichokes I’d use the ones in the can or defrost frozen ones don’t use the marinated kind because it will change the flavor). For a smooth consistency I’ve blend about 1 – 2 minutes. If you want it chunkier …. blend it less time. The longer you blend the lighter the dip will be.

Put the dip in a beautiful bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle the top with some fresh thyme leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice if you’d like.

This is a terrific dip for pita chips, crusty toasted bread, rice crackers…almost anything!

Enjoy!

 

Sous Salt Crackers

Due to over popular demand and a bit of free time on a Saturday morning….here’s the recipe….finally! Just a couple of notes. Feel free to use any cheese you like, a goat cheddar, a jalapeno jack, parmigiano reggiano, just remember to not put salt in the dough if you are going to serve with with the Sous Salt on top.  If you aren’t you can put the salt in the dough. Also don’t forget to let them cool slightly on the baking sheet before you move them so they can set up a bit.

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated Romano
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, I use Kerry Gold
• 1 cup flour, I use King Arthur
• Sous Salt of your choice for dusting

 

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cheese, butter and flour in a food processor and blend the mixture until it forms a ball. It will be a soft, lovely, light dough. Remove the dough from the processor and wrap it in plastic wrap. Pop it in the fridge for 20 mins so it sets up a bit. You can refrigerate it for a couple of days or even put it in the freezer for a week. Just remember the colder it is the longer it will take to work with.

Remove the dough from the fridge, unwrap it and roll it our on a floured work service. Using your chosen size of biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits and place them on
parchment paper-lined baking sheets. If you are topping them with the Sous Salt of your choice, sprinkle the tops of them and tape the salt down gently with your fingertips. Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. Depending on the temp your oven cooks at or if you have a convection over the cooking time will vary. So I use my eyes. Cook them just until the bottoms are a light brown.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Very easy and incredibly flavorful. I used two different Sous Salts. The Grey Herb Sous Salt for the seasoning of the chicken and the Sun Dried Heirloom Tomato Sous Salt for the stuffing mixtures. Depending on how your oven cooks this will take approximately 10 mins to prep and 30 mins to cook.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 ounces of goat cheese
• 2 ounces of sun dried tomato pesto (available at the markets, great pantry item)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 ounces grated fontina
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 leaves of Kale finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon Sous Salt Grey Herb
• 1 teaspoon Sous Salt Sun Dried Tomato
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Basil or Parsley for garnish
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat in a 375 degree oven a heavy skillet.  I use a black iron skillet.
• Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the Grey Herb Sous Salt  & Pepper and let them sit while you blend the stuffing mixture.  In a food processor put the goat cheese, sun dried tomato pesto, 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese, sliced Kale, garlic, Sun Dried Tomato Sous Salt and 1 Tablespoon of the Olive Oil.  Blend the ingredients to a paste consistency.  Depending on what type of sun dried tomato pesto you use you may need to add additional oil if you didn’t use one that is in oil to begin with. What you are looking for is a paste consistency that will be easy to fill the breasts with.
• Slice the chicken breasts on the top of each breast about 3 – 5 slits depending on how big the breasts are.  Being careful to slice down only 2/3 of the breast to create a pocket.  If you go too far you end up cutting your breast in pieces. Fill the pockets with as much of the mixture each pocket will hold. I do overfill a bit. You could also make one pocket in the side of the chicken if you prefer to stuff them that way.
• Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top of the stuffed breasts then finish by placing the grated fontina on top of the parmesan on each breast.
• Open the oven and carefully put in a Tablespoon of Olive Oil in the skillet. Gently place the breasts in the skillet stuffed side up!

 

• Cook for 25-30 mins until the cheese is lightly brown and the breasts are cooked.  Let them rest about 5 minutes on the counter before serving.  Garnish with some sliced basil or parsley.

 

Home Made Ricotta & Tomato Salad

Never buy the Ricotta in a tub again.  This quick home made Ricotta is as light as whip cream and you can even flavor it as you go. All you need is cheesecloth….

Home Made Ricotta

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon quality white wine vinegar

Directions:

• Set a large sieve over a deep stainless steel bowl and line it with cheesecloth (two layers)
• Put the milk and cream in a saucepan with the salt and bring to a boil.
• Turn off the heat, add the vinegar and allow the mixture to stand for 2 minutes while it cures.
• Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth lined sieve and allow it to drain for apx 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer the ricotta to a bowl. You can use it immediately or refrigerate it for up to 5 days.

 

Salad Ingredients & Directions:

I chopped 4 smaller sized red and green heirloom tomatoes, sprinkled Grey Herb Sous Salt, drizzled them with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Spoon the Ricotta at the side of the dish and drizzle with a good quality olive oil and a sprinkle of Grey Herb Sous Salt. Finely slice fresh basil and enjoy!