Canteloupe and Blueberries with a Touch of Molasses and Coffee

Simple is always refreshing!  Especially when simple tastes so good!  

We had received a couple of ripe cantaloupe and some cartons of blueberries right off the farm.  Cantaloupe always signals breakfast in my mind and what goes well at breakfast ---- coffee!  

The fresh fruit and the sweet hint from the molasses is an amazing combination!  Now, take that over the edge by adding a couple of pinches of Espresso Brava sea salt and you have now created an amazing flavor profile that truly marries each ingredient for life.  

Ingredients:

1)  1 cantaloupe diced into cubes
2)  1 cup of fresh blueberries
3)  1/2 teaspoon of molasses
4)  A pinch or two of Espresso Brava sea salt
5)  Garnish with some fresh mint

Directions:

Arrange your cantaloupe and blueberries on a plate. Drizzle the molasses over your fruit with a spoon. Add a pinch or two over your fruit and enjoy!

Now this was definitely Keeping it Real and Keeping it Simple!

Herb Infused Burger Atop Blueberry Tamarind Sauce With Slaw

The creativity was flowing on this day and I had a bunch of fresh local blueberries and a block of tamarind paste in the refrigerator.  

It all started with a sauce and then the burger and slaw came into being.  If using tamarind, you will need to pair it with sweetness since it is a bit sour (similar to lemon).  

The meat, slaw and sauce pair perfectly on a warm summer night.  The piece that takes this dish over the edge is the finishing salts because they give that added element that brings all the ingredients together on the plate.

Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs of ground beef of your choice
2)  1/2 head of organic green or purple cabbage
3)  1 cup of organic blueberries
4)  1 tablespoon of tamarind paste (or to taste)
5)  1 tablespoon of raw organic honey
6)  1 large onion grated
7)  1 bunch of cilantro chopped
8)  1/2 cup olive oil
9)  3-4 cloves of garlic minced
10) plain sea salt, Thai Ginger sea salt, Ghost Pepper sea salt

Directions:

Prepare your ground beef by adding the beef, grated onions, chopped cilantro, olive oil, minced garlic and about a teaspoon of plain sea salt into a large mixing bowl.  

Incorporate all the ingredients well and let rest anywhere between 2-24 hours.  The longer the beef rest in a covered bowl in the refrigerator the more flavorful your burgers will be.

Prepare the sauce by adding the tamarind and blueberries to a small saute pan.  Gently heat the mixture and add the honey and two pinches of Thai Ginger sea salt.  If you have an immersion blender use this in a deep bowl to blend all ingredients smoothly.  Add a bit of water to get your desired thickness.  I used a Nutribullet and it worked perfectly.

Next, make a simple slaw and by simple I mean just shred your cabbage and dress it lightly with olive oil, a little mayonnaise and a touch of vinegar.  

I cooked the burgers on an outdoor grill and plated it on top of about two tablespoons of the blueberry tamarind sauce.  

Then I topped the burger with a simple slaw and added a pinch of Ghost Pepper to add a bit of heat to this layered stack of goodness! 


Keeping it Real, Keeping it Simple!

Smoked Serrano Orange Broiled Fresh Fish

There is nothing better then catching a fish and having it for dinner that evening...if you can't do that go to your local fish market and get the freshest catch of the day!

We found two really nice size tilipia and I picked up a couple of naval oranges at the market...so an idea was formed.

Fresh orange mixed with Smoked Serrano sea salt on a delicately broiled fresh fish sounded like a nice and easy meal for the family.  This dish is simple, yet elevated!  It took minutes to prepare and cook, 25 in total.

Ingredients:

1)  2 large tilipia fillets

2)  1 naval orange

3)  4 tablespoons of grass fed butter

4)  1/2 teaspoon of Smoked Serrano sea salt (or to taste)

5)  1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper

6)  Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Arrange tilipia fillets in a baking dish and squeeze the juice of one naval orange over fish.  After squeezing remove pulp and add to the baking dish over fish.  Season the fish with Smoked Serrano sea salt.  Place the pats of butter on the fish.  Bake covered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, if your fish is thin check for doneness around 15 minutes.

Remove the cover during the last 5 minutes of cooking and ladle the sauce in the dish over the fish.  While finishing off the fish, finely dice your red bell pepper for garnish.

Plate fish over your favorite rice or serve with a side of vegetables.  You can sprinkle a little more Smoked Serrano sea salt to finish the dish!  The Smoked Serrano goes so well with citrus and brings a well balanced flavor profile to the entire dish!

Cucumber Tea Infused Ribbons with Vanilla Bean Sea Salt

Whenever I get a new ingredient I'm always looking for different ways to use it.  This new cucumber salad was inspired by a new loose tea I purchased to make my husband a healthy iced tea.

It is a loose organic tea, called Yerba Mate and it is a holly tree native to the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.  It's antioxidant properties are higher than green tea, so I was sold on it.

I brewed a big batch for my husband's ice tea and as it sat steeping and developing color and aroma my mind was racing on ways to use this with food.

I had just received a big bag of cucumbers from a friends garden and I had my Vanilla Bean sea salt on the counter - Shazam...an idea was born!

I decided to make a unique and delicate dressing with the Yerba Mate tea, extra virgin olive oil, a splash of vinegar and Vanilla Bean sea salt!  

Ingredients:

1) 2-3 cucumbers
2) 1/2 orange
3) 1/4 cup of brewed and steeped tea (your choice)
4) 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
5) 1/4 teaspoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar (or your choice)
6) 2-3 pinches of Vanilla Bean sea salt (or to taste)

Directions:

I decided to make cucumber ribbons to match the delicate nature of the dressing.  With a vegetable peeler remove the dark green skin on the cucumbers. Then slowly peel your cucumber with a bit of pressure to obtain ribbons the length of your cucumber.  Rotate  and continue peeling off ribbons until you get to the seeds, then stop.  You will have enough for an elegant side dish.  You can use the remaining cucumbers cut up in disks or use in your juicer.

Cut your navel orange in half, peel and dice into small chunks. Mix into your cucumber ribbons.  

Dressing:  Whisk your olive oil, tea, vinegar and sea salt together to get all ingredients blended together.

Pour your dressing over the cucumber ribbons and oranges and sprinkle lightly with Vanilla Bean sea salt!

This dish is simple, healthy, quick and elevated!  All of the delicate exotic flavors mingle together and bathe the ribbons.  The Vanilla Bean sea salt makes a huge impact on pulling all of the ingredients together with the delightful vanilla flavor and sea salt punch, it would not be the same without it.

Savory Short Ribs Smothered and Covered

On my real food journey, my eyes have been opened to the individual ingredient and everything it has to offer.  You have to because it does not come in a box with instructions...so it forces you to get to know it!

Take short ribs for example.  I have never really thought about what could come of these little guys until recently.  I found out that you can't just grill them and that you really need to cook them slowly and purposefully.  Once cooked it's a virtual canvas as to what you smother and cover them in.

I had some French Dijon mustard in the refrigerator and some fresh fennel so I decided to make a quick honey Dijon sauce and crispy fennel to finish these off.  The sea salt that completes the dish is my go to favorite with honey and mustard - Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs of short ribs
2)  4 tablespoons of French Dijon mustard
3)  1 tablespoon of raw organic honey (or to taste)
4)  1 tablespoon of raw organic apple cider vinegar
5)  1 large fennel bulb
6)  1 tablespoon of olive oil or coconut oil

Directions:

First broil your short ribs in a hot oven (425 degrees) for about 15 minutes to brown and sear the ribs.  Transfer the ribs to a stock pot and fill with filtered water to cover the ribs about 2 inches above the meat. Cook in a low oven (270 degrees) for 3 hours to slowly cook the meat.  At this point the ribs are fully cooked and very tender.  Now it's time to add your sauce and broil one more time to sear in the sauce.  Arrange your short ribs on a pan and add the sauce.

Sauce:  Whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, vinegar and olive oil and spread on top of the short ribs, reserve some for plating.  Place under the broil until the sauce begins to bubble, but does not burn.

While your preparing your short ribs slice a fennel bulb into thin strips and cook on top of the stove until browned and a bit crispy.  Top your short ribs with the cooked fennel, a bit of the reserved Dijon sauce and finish the entire dish with a sprinkle of Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Espresso Brava Steak Rub

Who doesn't like a perfectly seasoned and grilled steak? The way I achieve it is to start with a really good piece of meat.  I tend to like bone in rib eyes because they are so flavorful!

I usually cook them on the grill after resting to room temperature from the refrigerator.  I salt them about 10 minutes prior, this will help develop the crust on the steak.  Then I sear and cook until medium rare.  I then apply some finishing sea salt and devour it!

There are times when I want a more exotic tasting meat and this is when I turn to making home made rubs!  Here is one we use with our Espresso Brava sea salt blend!

Ingredients:
1)  1/2 cup chile powder
2)  2 Tablespoons of Espresso Brava sea salt
3)  4 Tablespoons Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika
4)  3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
5)  1 Tablespoon Dry Yellow Mustard Powder
6)  2 Tablespoons freshly ground Black Pepper
7)  1 Tablespoon Powdered Ginger

Directions:  Mix all ingredients together and store in a jar.

Note: You may want to adjust the above ingredients to your taste.

Helpful Hints:
Keep for use on grilling steaks and other meats.  Apply liberally to one side only, put this side down first.  You can grill on an open fire or grill indoors.  If using 1" steaks, about 4-5 minutes on each side will give you a medium rare steak.

Note:  You may want to put a dollop of a good herb butter on top of the steak when serving, and a good suggestion is to mix a few tablespoons of this rub into about a 1/2 stick of butter.

Grilled Orange and Radicchio Salad

I love to try new things and radiccio was on the list!  I had seen a plate one time with grilled radiccio and orange wedges and it looked and sounded fantastic.

I am the kind of cook that sees something and goes with the idea and not necessarily the recipe or same list of ingredients.  I had a couple of ingredients in the pantry that I thought would work well with this grilled leaf vegetable and orange.

Here we go!

Ingredients:

1)  1 whole radiccio
2)  1 large navel orange
3)  1 tablespoon of raw organic honey
4)  2 tablespoons of blood orange olive oil (or plain)
5)  1 tablespoon of braggs raw apple cider vinegar
6)  Vanilla Bean sea salt

Directions:

Wash and section your whole radicchio into wedges.  Try to keep them intact with the base of the stem. Lightly coat your sectioned radicchio with olive oil and a small dusting of salt.  Peel your navel orange and divide into two sections for easy grilling.  

Get your grill up to high temp and place your radicchio and blood orange down on the hot grill.  Close the lid for about 4-5 to get the slight char on the ingredients and to heat them through.  Turn and repeat until the radicchio is soft and slightly charred.  The orange will char slightly and the juices will begin to flow.

Pull off all ingredients and plate the radicchio in sections and cover with the grilled orange sections.  

I make a quick dressing:  Whisk 1 tablespoon of raw organic honey, 2 tablespoons of blood orange olive oil and 1 tablespoon of braggs apple cider vinegar.  

Pour this dressing over the plated salad, garnish with flat Italian parsley and sprinkle the entire dish with Vanilla Bean sea salt!

Radicchio has a bitter and spicy taste, which mellows when it is grilled or roasted.  It amazingly transforms when grilled and combined with the sweetness of the grilled orange and dressing. The salad is completely taken over the edge when you add the Vanilla Bean sea salt to finish the dish off!  The Vanilla in the salt combines so well with all the ingredients and adds another dimension to an already fabulous concoction.

Broiled Artichokes

There is something so satisfying about taking a spiny, hard artichoke and breaking it down to it's finer parts!

It can be a challenging ingredient and most people might walk away or opt for the jarred or canned artichokes.  

Well if you take the leap and purchase yourself you will not be disappointed!  You can assure the best freshness and cook and flavor it to your liking!  

Ingredients:

1)  2 large whole artichokes
2)  Extra virgin olive oil
3)  Grass fed butter
4)  Lemon
5)  Spanish Rosemary sea salt
6)  Olives (optional)

Directions:

Wash each artichoke and cut off the stem close to the bulb and cut about 1/2 inch off the tip of the globe.  In a pressure cooker add your artichoke and 1 cup of water.  Follow cooking directions on your machine.  I heat to boil and allow to cook on high for 5 minutes and then turn to low for another 10 minutes.  You can choose to steam to soften.

Once cooked, peel off and discard tougher outer leaves.  Take tender and inner leaves and arrange on a baking tray.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, grass fed butter, a squeeze of lemon and broil to blend and heat all ingredients.

Plate and finish with Spanish Rosemary sea salt!