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.

 

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.

 

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

I love cauliflower, well truth be told I just love food! And I love sharing what tastes good and is easy to prepare. With the rainy days upon us there is nothing better than a warm soup with a great artisan crusty bread.  Now a days the markets have such an array of finely crafted breads from an Italian Herb Slab to a hearty Dark Seeded Wheat….any loaf would be terrific dipped in this soup. All you need is a nice fire and your family!

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower, cored and chopped into small florettes
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 t Sun Dried  Tomato Sous Salt
• Pepper to taste
• 3 T butter
• 3 T flour
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3 c milk
• 2 c chicken broth
• 1/2 c heavy cream
• 1 t fresh chopped parsley
• 1 t fresh thyme
• 4 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated
• 2 T grated parmesan
• 4 ounces chopped pancetta
• 8 chives, chopped fine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet drizzle the olive oil on the garlic and season with the Sun Dried Tomato Sous Salt and some pepper. Bake in the oven for apx 20 mins until golden brown. Set aside.

In a 4 quart soup pot, melt the butter. Add the shallots and saute about 3 mins. Add the flour and cook for about a minute. Just to take the flour taste away. The browner the flour becomes the darker the soup will be.  After about a minute add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the chicken broth, milk and cream together in a large measuring cup.Whisk the mixture into the flour mixture slowly.  Add in the parsley, thyme, roasted cauliflower. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Puree 3 cups of the soup in a blender, remember that when you blend hot liquids they expand so do it in stages. Return the blended liquid to the soup pot.  Heat to desired temp. Add the cheeses and if necessary season with additional Sun-Dried Tomato Sous Salt.

Saute the pancetta until crispy, drain the fat and toss with the chives. Finish the soup with the pancetta and chive garnish.

Photo courtesy of Nadia G

 

Stuffed Squash from Heaven!

We welcome Fall in this family with open ovens! Something about the colors and smells of the season….The other day I picked up some beautiful Acorn Squash and stuffed it with a light meat mixture. Soaking the bread in the milk and wine gives the stuffing a wonderfully light texture. This recipe will stuff two acorn squash…four halves and will leave you enough of the meat mixture to make meatballs or a small meatloaf the next evening. Two dinners in one prep. Or you can stuff four acorn squash, eight halves and use the entire meat mixture. Either way it produces a light stuffing that you will thoroughly enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground veal
• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 c white bread cubes…I used an artisan herb slab
• 1/2 Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Italian Fontina (you could also just use 1 c of Parmesan and not the Fontina)
• 2 T fresh chopped parsley
• 1 T fresh Thyme
• 3 leaves thinly sliced Kale (chiffonade)
• 1/2 c milk
• 1/2 c dry red wine
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 4 T olive oil
• 2 t Sous Salt Sun Dried Tomato and Basil
• 1 t Boo Sous Salt
• Pepper to taste

Topping:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 1/2 c Panko bread crumbs
• 2 sprigs Thyme, leaves removed from the stem
• 1/2 t Grey Herb Sous Salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Drizzle 2 of the tablespoons of olive oil inside the acorn squash and sprinkle with the Boo Salt and pepper as desired. Place the squash cut side down on the parchment paper and bake for 30 mins.
While the squash are cooking prepare the filling. In a skillet saute the shallots in 2 T of olive oil until opaque apx 2 mins. Then add the veal, pork and 1 t of the Sun Dried Tomato Sous Salt and saute approximately 3 -5 minutes until cooked through. While the meats are browning prep the rest of the stuffing ingredients. In a mixing bowl put the bread, milk and wine let them soak for 2 minutes. Add the Parmesan, Fontina, garlic, kale, parsley, thyme, 1 teaspoons of the Sun-dried Tomato Sous Salt, egg and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Combine lightly but thoroughly.  Add the pork and veal mixture to the other ingredients in the bowl and lightly combine.

When the squash is finished roasting, fill the cavities with the meat mixture. In a small skillet add 1 T olive oil, add the panko bread crumbs, the thyme leaves, 1/2 t Grey Herb Sous Salt and lightly brown. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the stuffed squash. Bake the squash for 20 minutes until the top is crispy and golden.

 

Photo by Christopher Testani

 

 

Onion, Mushroom & Cheese Fritatta

Onion & Fontina Frittata

This is such an easy and elegant way to serve eggs either for brunch or at dinner with a salad. The recipe here is from Bon Appetit however I’ve adapted it just a touch they called for ricotta which I substituted for creme fraiche. I also added Italian Fontina because I’m a cheese lover! The salt I substituted for the Sous Salt Porcini Mushroom blend

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4-6

• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
• 3 large fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
• 3 large fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. Sous Salt Porcini Mushroom
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of the Porcini Mushroom Sous Salt for the mushrooms
• 1/3 cup creme fraiche (or you could use ricotta or half and half)
• 2Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion (or you could use shallots which I prefer)
  
• 6 – 8  thinly sliced mushrooms
• 1 T parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp parsley

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside. Heat oil in a medium ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes then add the mushrooms to the skillet and saute them until brown. Maybe 2 – 3 more minutes. After they finish cooking sprinkle them with a pinch of Porcini Sous Salt. Reduce heat to low. Stir in egg mixture.
• Cook until frittata begins to set, about 2 minutes. Place in oven; bake until just set, 7-9 minutes. Slide the frittata onto a platter. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and dust with 1 T of parmesan cheese. Cut into wedges; serve hot or at room temperature.

• Original Recipe by David Downie ~ Adapted by SF!
• Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

 

Quick Sausage Hash

This is a terrific quick recipe that I modified from BonAppetit. Literally took 15 minutes to make and can be modified in multiple ways.  You can use sausage or ground turkey, kale or spinach in it’s place. I used small Italian northern beans but you could use garbanzo bean or pinto. If you are challenged by poaching eggs…fry it! The recipe makes enough for 4 – 6.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of Italian sausages
• 1 can of Northern white beans rinsed and drained
• 5 leaves of Kale chopped
• Red pepper flake
• Sous Salt Sun Dried Tomato
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1/2 c white wine or chicken stock
• Parmesan

Remove the casings from the sausages and saute in 2 T of olive oil. I like to start the pan hot so the sausage sears and browns beautifully. It adds color and flavor to the dish. When the sausage is brown add the beans and the Kale to the pan. Sprinkle 1 t of Sun Dried Tomato Sous Salt to the mixture. Let that simmer for 5 mins then add 1/2 white wine or chicken stock.  Heat through for 2 mins. While the hash is heating through either poach or fry your eggs. Finish with a dusting of Parmesan and a drizzle of Olive Oil and you are ready. See how easy that was!

Photograph by Alex Lau. Adapted from a recipe by Jordan Schaefer.

 

 

Zucchini & Corn Fritters

These are heavenly…..with Fish, Chicken or a simple Green Salad!

Ingredients:

• 2 small zucchini, ends trimmed
• 1 small russet potato, peeled
• ½ medium onion
• 1 ear of corn, kernels removed from the cob
• 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons Sous Salt Grey Salt & Herb
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon Siracha (less or more depending on your spice level)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sous Salt Sun Dried Tomato Salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation:

Siracha Sauce

• Mix Siracha, lemon juice, mayonnaise, thyme and Sun Dried Tomato Salt in a small bowl.  You can substitute the mayonnaise for plain yogurt or creme fraiche.

Fritters And Assembly

• Grate zucchini, potato, and onion in a food processor or a hand grater.  Place the vegetables on a few paper towels sprinkle them with 1 tsp of grey herb salt and let them sit for  30−40 minutes. Remove corn from the cob.
• Mix eggs, garlic, cumin and 3 Tbsp. parsley in a medium bowl; season with 1/2 tsp Sous Salt Grey Herb and pepper.
• Squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini mixture in the towels. Add to the egg mixture the corn from the cob and the zucchini mixture. Sprinkle flour and baking powder over; mix gently.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Working in batches, spoon scoops of mixture into skillet, flattening gently with a spatula. Cook until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack; season with Sous salt. Drizzle Siracha sauce over the zucchini cakes top with chopped parsley.

 

Roasted Cauliflower, Pepitos & Sous Salt

Cauliflower gets such a bad rap. It’s actually quite versatile, low calorie and absorbs the flavors you roast or cook it with it.  This is one of my go to recipes during the week, courtesy of BonAppetit, except that I use our Sun Dried Tomato Salt.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large head of cauliflower
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves with tender stems for serving
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste with our Sun Dried Tomato Sous Salt

Preparation

ACTIVE: 40 min 

• Preheat oven to 450°. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbsp. oil. Trim cauliflower stalk and place head stalk side down on a cutting board. Slice cauliflower lengthwise into ½” slices. Arrange cauliflower slices and any stray pieces in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil and season with our Sun Dried Tomato Salt. Pepper to taste.  Roast until underside is deeply browned, 20–25 minutes. Turn cauliflower over, season with Sun Dried Tomato Salt, and continue to roast until other side is dark brown and crisp, 15–20 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium. Add pumpkin seeds, bring to a simmer, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until pumpkin seeds are toasted and butter is browned and smells nutty, 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and add red pepper flakes; let cool 10 minutes. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange cauliflower on a serving platter and drizzle with dressing. Serve topped with cilantro leaves. I use arugula instead of cilantro. But you could use parsley or any herb you like.