Create herb, spice and salt combos at home to elevate your food
RECIPES AND PHOTO BY PAULETTE PHLIPOT
Mixing fresh herbs and spices with salt creates unique flavorful blends that can be used in cooking or as finishing salts for just about any meal. Putting these delightful homemade blends into small glass jars makes a perfect stocking stuffer or hostess gift. Flavored salt awakens depths of flavor, adds nutritional value and can provide digestive support.
Savory blends can be used in marinades and salad dressings, on roasted vegetables and simply sprinkled on top of a bowl of pasta. Adding a little citrus salt to cocktails and simple chocolate desserts will take them from ordinary to remarkable.
These homemade salts are effortless and economical to make. Using fresh herbs preserves seasonal flavors and is a brilliant way to use the abundance from an overproductive garden.
The variety of blends is endless and recipes are flexible, but the method is pretty much the same for any blend, as outlined below. Use whatever type of salt you prefer—Celtic, Himalayan or fine sea—but avoid iodized salt, which can discolor the herbs. Experiment and have fun!
FRESH HERBED SALT
1 cup fine ground salt
2 cups fresh herbs, such as Italian parsley, thyme, rosemary
(A majority of the mix should be parsley since it is a milder herb)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
CILANTRO LIME SALT
1 cup fine ground salt
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 cups cilantro
Zest from 1 lime
ORANGE ROSE SALT
1 cup coarse ground Himalayan salt
¼ cup dried rose petals
Zest from 3 oranges
Pat fresh herbs dry, remove woody stems and loosely chop. Place ingredients in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse, stopping often to wipe down the sides. Continue until everything is finely chopped and combined.
Spread the salt mixture evenly on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Let it air dry for several days. Move the salt around occasionally so that it dries evenly. Alternatively, the salt can be dried on low heat in a dehydrator or in an oven that has been turned off after being heated to the lowest temperature. Keep the salt in the oven with the light on until dried. Be sure to move the salt around on the tray so that it dries evenly.
Once the salt is dried, place it into glass jars and secure with lids tightly closed.
