Greetings Sea Salt Lovers!
With July 4th arriving tomorrow there will be barbecues and food galore! While many will consume the traditional hamburger and hot dog others will opt for the more fanciful spread. As we thaw our chicken and fish for Sunday's bash there is one new ingredient on our list, "Hawaiian Sea Salt"! After purchasing this fine salt from Florida Herb House we had the privilege of speaking with Stephen Sharp, Florida Herb House's owner and CEO, about this great salt. Florida Herb House recently added over 50 exclusive gourmet sea salts to their store in Port Orange, FL but the one sea salt that stands out among others is their Alaea Hawaiian Sea Salt.
Stephen quotes, "Alaea Sea Salt is one of a kind and produced on Molokai one of the purest and most natural islands in world. Molokai has no traffic lights, no traffic signs and there is not one building higher than a palm tree. Hawaii’s fifth-largest island, Molokai is only 38 miles long and 10 miles across at its widest point. Molokai is home to the highest sea cliffs in the world along its northeast coast (3,600-3,900 feet) and Hawaii’s longest continuous fringing reef (28 miles) off Molokai’s southern coast. Are you getting the picture? Yes with all this simple lifestyle comes an island free of erosion and sewage run off which amounts to a surrounding ocean just as pure! From this comes Hawaiian Sea Salt one of the purest sea salts in the world!"
Happy Sunday Bloggers!
Happy Fathers Day!
Today we are planning on enjoying a homemade ceasar salad equipped with all the fixings! For a final touch we will be adding some of our black sea salt. We have chosen one of our fine ground salts, the Kala Namak Black Salt!! This is a wonderful salt and we urge all to try some. Once you sample the taste of this fabulous salt you too will be a fan. Want to learn more or purchase one of our In Stock gourmet sea salts then please shop us online at www.SharpWebLabs.com or www.FloridaHerbHouse.com!! Read on for a brief history on black sea salt and some of our favorite recipes utilizing this great creation.
Black Salt is a special type of Indian mineral salt. It is actually pinkish grey rather than black and has a very distinctive sulfurous mineral taste. Black Salt is used in Indian cuisine as a condiment and is added to chaats, chutneys, raitas and many other savory Indian snacks. It has an unforgettable aroma, similar to egg yolks. It is used extensively in Indian cuisine. This salt has become popular with vegan chefs for adding natural egg flavor to their dishes. Fine grain is pink with a powdery texture and the coarse grain salt is dark red (almost black) and is best used in a salt mill.
Black sea salt or Black Lava sea salt is colored by the lava deposits common in the area, making it black and somewhat glossy in appearance. With the addition of purified black lava for minerals and activated charcoal for color resulting in a slight sulfuric aroma, Lava sea salts provide an earthy flavor when used as a finishing salt. Since sea salts considered best as roasting salts will dissolve readily and typically loose their flavor after lengthy cooking, many are often used as finishing salts. However, Hawaiian sea salts are often used as both roasting and finishing salts for fish as well as poultry. It is common to apply a coating of salt on fish being steamed, preserving the flavor and moisture as it bakes. Then, a Black Lava sea salt adds a finishing touch to season and enhance the appearance of the presentation.
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Blackened Prime Rib with Hawaii Kai Black Sea Salt
Ingredients (yields eight servings):
5 tbsp. Hawaii Kai Black Sea Salt
10 lbs. prime rib or standing rib roast (4 ribs)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
5 tsp. dried minced garlic
5 tsp. onion powder
5 tbsp. freshly ground black Tellicherry pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F
Start with prime rib at room temperature
Trim extra fat (if your butcher did not already do so) leaving thin layer to use in au jus
Rub entire prime rib with olive oil and Dijon mustard
Mix together Black Sea Salt, dried minced garlic and black Tellicherry pepper, rub on
prime rib to cover it completely
Place prime rib in oven, fat side up, in heavy cast iron or stainless steel pan; roast for 15 minutes
After 15 minutes, turn oven down to 325 degrees F and continue roasting
Baste prime rib about every 20 minutes with juices that develop
Continue roasting for about 1.5 to 2 hours for medium rare
Check prime rib temperature every 30 minutes until it reaches 120 degrees F
Remove prime rib, cover with tinfoil and let stand for about 25 minutes. The prime rib will
continue to increase in temperature and will be at about 130 degrees F by the end of 25
minutes
Serve with horseradish and au jus sauces; suggested recipes below
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Horseradish Sauce:
Ingredients
.25 cup (one-quarter) prepared horseradish
2 cups creme fraiche
2 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp dried mustard
1 tbsp ground red pepper
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Au Jus Sauce (prepare after prime rib has been removed from the roasting pan):
Ingredients
.25 cup (one-quarter) shallots, diced
1 cup red wine
Method
Skim fat off surface of juices in roasting pan
Add shallots to pan and let simmer in remaining juices for 2 minutes
Add red wine to roasting pan, bring to boil
Using wooden spoon or other suitable utensil, scrape/loosen remaining prime rib from roasting pan
Remove au jus from roasting pan, place in gravy bowl.
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Cedar Planked Salmon with Maple Glaze and Hawaii Kai Black Sea Salt
Ingredients (serves six):
Florida Herb House Black Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1.5 cups (one-and-one-half) pure maple syrup
2 tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh ginger root
5 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
4 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 untreated cedar plank (pre-soak in water)
6 - six oz. center cut salmon fillets with skin on
Greens from one bunch of scallions
Method
Preheat oven to 350ยบ F while heating soaked board on baking sheet in oven
In small heavy saucepan simmer maple syrup, ginger root, 4 tbsp. lemon juice, soy
sauce, garlic, and pepper until reduced to 1 cup. Let cool. (prepare up to two days in
advance)
Ensure that syrup is at room temperature before next step:
Arrange scallions in a layer on plank to make nest for salmon
In another small saucepan, heat half the glaze to use as a sauce, stirring in remaining lemon juice; remove pan from heat and keep warm Place salmon, skin side down, on scallion greens and brush with remaining glaze Season with our Black Sea Salt and pepper and bake in oven 20 min. or until salmon has reached desired doneness Cut salmon into serving size pieces, arrange on serving plates and drizzle with sauce.
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Taco Seasoning
Ingredients
4 tablespoons onion flakes
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Florida Herb House black sea salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
Directions
1 Add all the ingredients in a jar and give it a good shake.
2 For taco filling: Cook 1/2 lb of ground beef. Drain. Add 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning and 1/2 cup of water. Cook for about 10 minutes, until liquid has mostly evaporated. You can easily double the recipe to get 1lb of taco filling.
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Cesar Salad - Asian Style With Black Sea Salt!
Serves 4 to 6 -
This salad deliciously blends the lemon and romaine of a traditional Caesar salad with the Asian tang of five-spice seasoning and wasabi powder. Tender soba(buckwheat) noodles pair well with the crunch of water chestnuts. For a complete meal, enjoy with hot, crusty Italian bread alongside.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unrefined (not toasted) sesame oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder salt, to taste
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 ounces soba noodles
8 cups washed and torn romaine lettuce
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder
1 large clove garlic, minced
Florida Herb House Black Sea Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 (8 ounce) can diced water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
Mix 1 tablespoon of sesame oil with the five-spice powder and salt. Rub on all sides of each chicken breast. Let the chicken rest in the refrigerator while preparing the noodles. Cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. When finished cooking, drain and toss with the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil to prevent noodles from sticking together. Cool in the refrigerator while grilling chicken. Grill the chicken over medium heat, turning once until cooked through. While chicken is cooking, prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, wasabi, garlic, salt and pepper. In a salad bowl, combine noodles with torn romaine. Toss with the prepared dressing. Slice the chicken into strips and layer across the top of the salad. Garnish with water chestnuts.
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Hawaiian black sea salt is used both as a finishing salt and a roasting salt. It is often used as a coating on fish to help preserve both flavor and moisture as it bakes. Delicious on all types of seafoods, especially shellfish such as clams, mussels or scallops. Variations in mineral content and harvesting methods create the unique look and taste of individual sea salts. Differences in flavor are subtle yet delicious. To get the most out of sea salts, add them after cooking and do not use sea salts on highly seasoned foods.
Stephen Sharp
www.FloridaHerbHouse.com
www.SharpWebLabs.com
www.eSuperFoods.com
Stephen quotes, "Alaea Sea Salt is one of a kind and produced on Molokai one of the purest and most natural islands in world. Molokai has no traffic lights, no traffic signs and there is not one building higher than a palm tree. Hawaii’s fifth-largest island, Molokai is only 38 miles long and 10 miles across at its widest point. Molokai is home to the highest sea cliffs in the world along its northeast coast (3,600-3,900 feet) and Hawaii’s longest continuous fringing reef (28 miles) off Molokai’s southern coast. Are you getting the picture? Yes with all this simple lifestyle comes an island free of erosion and sewage run off which amounts to a surrounding ocean just as pure! From this comes Hawaiian Sea Salt one of the purest sea salts in the world!" 
