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!

Fresh Baked Fish With Mango and Roasted Poblano Puree

I do love roasting tray fulls of poblano peppers to have on hand throughout the week.  So I had these in the fridge and I had a frozen puree of fresh mango in the freezer.  

Well...I thought what a perfect combination with a little smokey heat sea salt to tie them all together!

Now the protein....I had just recently purchased 4 gorgeous fresh fillets of tilapia from The Fresh Market so I was going with a fish dinner tonight.

Here it goes...

Ingredients:

1)  4 large fillets of tilipia or your fish of choice.
2)  Blood orange olive oil or your favorite olive oil and a squeeze of one whole blood orange.
3)  1 teaspoon of smoked serrano sea salt. 
4)  3 tablespoons of grass fed butter.
5)  One whole lemon sliced.
6)  2 whole mango's pureed.
7)  2 roasted poblano peppers.

Directions:

Arrange your fish fillets in a large baking tray and drizzle all the pieces with your blood orange olive oil or your own mixture.  Sprinkle all fillets with the Smoked Serrano sea salt and arrange the lemon slices over the fish.  Cover and bake in an oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.  Uncover and add the butter to the top of fillets and cook for an additional 5 minutes to melt butter.

The puree is made from scooping two whole ripe mangos into a blender along with two roasted poblano peppers seasoned with smoked serrano sea salt and two tablespoons of blood orange olive oil.

The puree is added to the fish when plated along with a sprinkling of Ghost Pepper sea salt for an additional heat factor!

This is fabulous served on top of basmati rice!

Enjoy!

Chicken and Roasted Poblano Peppers and Onions

I love roasting tray fulls of Poblano Peppers and using them throughout the week in various dishes.  I love the heat and smokey flavor they add to dishes.

I also cook a whole chicken each week to eat and more importantly to make several quarts of homemade chicken stock.  Chicken stock is full of healthy minerals and does wonders for the digestive tract.  There is a lot of truth to the old wives tale of chicken soup to get you through a cold.  

So what I did this week was to combine my two favorite items - chicken and poblano!

First thing I did was to roast the poblano peppers.

Ingredients:

1)  5-6 Poblano Peppers
2)  Olive Oil
3)  Smoked Serrano sea salt

Directions:

Wash and place whole Poblano Peppers on a baking tray.  Drizzle with olive oil and heat in 425 degree oven until tender and slightly charred.  Turn midway and finish with Smoked Serrano sea salt.  Once finished, chop in pieces and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for several days (if they last that long).

The chicken I cook each week is a whole organic roaster chicken.  Take this lovely bird and place into a large stock pot and cover with fresh filtered water.  I usually add about 6 inches over the whole chicken.  

Bring to a boil and remove any foam that arises.  Once boiling reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours. Pull out the chicken and debone.  Reserve all chicken meat and add bones back to the stock pot, minus the skin.  

Simmer the bones in this stock for about 24 hours on low.  Once simmered, use a strainer to obtain the chicken stock from the bones.  I use a large metal mesh strainer over a two quart pouring vessel and then add this to quart jars.  

These keep about a week in the refrigerator and can be frozen for longer periods.  I use them in soups, rice, vegetables and drink a cup of hot broth each day.  

Ok, back to my chicken and poblano dish!

The chicken cooked this way is extremely tender and juicy.  I use this reserved chicken and add sauteed onions and roasted poblano peppers with a quick stir fry on the stove top for a fantastic combination!

Add your favorite Old City Salt to elevate this dish.  We used Ghost Pepper sea salt in this dish.  Also to make a complete meal add rice, pasta or toasted bruschetta!

Cauliflower Sweet Onion Soup

Today we are featuring one of our favorite whole foods -Cauliflower!   

Cauliflower is a white, flowering, cruciferous vegetable that can be used in a multitude of ways.  You can cream them into a soup, lightly steam them with fresh seasonings, roast them for a more intense caramelized flavor and even can be made to resemble mashed potatoes!

Vegetables in this family have been found to have a multitude of medicinal benefits.  Here are just a few:  cancer prevention, better digestion, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, weight loss and heart health!  

Our local farm bag this week consisted of two large cauliflower from a nearby farm.  These were beautiful and were begging to be made into a rich and creamy soup!

Ingredients:

1)  2 large head of cauliflower

2)  1 stick of grass fed butter

3)  16 oz. of cream cheese

4)  1 pint of heavy cream (optional)

5)  2 large sweet onions

6)  2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

7)  Your choice of Old City Salts finishing sea salts

Directions:

Cut cauliflower into pieces and boil in a large pot until tender with a fork.  Remove all of the water if using heavy cream in the soup or reserve about a pint of water in the pot if making a lighter soup.  Add in the butter and cream cheese and puree.

The sweet onions really compliment this soup very well.  Take two large onions and slice into rings.  Caramelize the onions in a saute pan, this can take a while...BUT so worth the flavor that develops.  Near the end of caramelization, add in the fresh sprigs of rosemary to release the flavor into the onions.

Ladle out the soup into your favorite bowl, add a dollop of caramelized onions on top with a little of the cooked rosemary.  

Finally, customize your soup with your favorite Old City Salts blended sea salts!  We loved Ghost Pepper, Sun Ripened Tomato, Smoked Serrano and Spanish Rosemary...separately of course!

Enjoy!

Warm Kale Toasted Almond Citrus Salad

It is kale season here in Florida and we had a bunch of fresh kale to make into fabulous dishes!

I decided to make a warm salad with this fresh ingredient along with some cool elements of citrus!

Ingredients:

1)  One large bowl of organic grown kale (10-15 stalks)

2)  One large organic blood orange or orange of choice

3)  1/2 cup of slivered almonds

4)  2-3 Tablespoons of coconut oil

5)  Raspberry vinaigrette (store bought with good ingredients).

6)  Vanilla Bean sea salt and Ghost Pepper sea salt (optional)

Directions:

Wash kale and separate from the stalk into pieces.  Saute kale in a tablespoon of coconut oil until wilted.  Cut up the blood orange into sections and add to plated sauteed kale.  Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to small saute pan and lightly brown slivered almonds.  Add almonds to salad and lightly drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette.

I added Vanilla Bean sea salt to heighten the flavor of all ingredients and added a touch of vanilla.  I also added a very little pinch of Ghost Pepper sea salt to add some heat to this sweet salad!

Enjoy!

Coconut Red Curry Calamari

Calamari...love it as an appetizer!  I adore the crunchy calamari with the hot and sweet dipping sauce.

BUT...since going gluten free, I have had a hard time finding that same crunchy breading for my calamari.  Coconut flour burns and almond flour just doesn't do justice to the calamari.

So...this appetizer is not fried, it is sauteed!

Ingredients:

1) 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil
2) 1 can of coconut milk
3) 1 Tablespoon of red curry paste (I used "A Taste of Thai")
4) 1 lb of calamari cut into 1/2 inch rings

Directions:

Prepare the red curry sauce by pouring a can of coconut milk (13.5 oz) into a saucepan.  Over high heat, whisk in 1 tablespoon of red curry paste.  Bring to a boil stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and cook 3-4 minutes until thickened.

Place sauce aside and prepare your calamari in a sauce pan heated with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.  Cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes to cook calamari.  Then pour in the sauce on top of the calamari and heat an additional 1-2 minutes.  

Plate over your favorite pasta, rice or in our case al dente spaghetti squash.  We finished this dish with Ghost Pepper sea salt to heighten the heat!

Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Steak Fajita and Ghost Pepper Sea Salt

This is an easy one skillet dish that is sure to satisfy the meat lover in your family!

For the beef in this dish I used 1 lb of strip steak:

1)  You can purchase steak strips already prepared from your local butcher or super market.  

2)  If you purchase your beef in bulk you can prep the cuts and save the trimmings for this dish.  

or 

3)  Get your favorite cut of steak and trim into strips about 2 inches long and about 1/2 inch thick.

This entire dish was made on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.  I started by taking a large organic onion and chopped into medium rings and one large bell pepper diced ( I used red pepper for color!)  

Saute these in a pan with a tablespoon of coconut oil until they start to caramelize.  Remove and add in your mushrooms (1 bin), I used baby portabella mushrooms.  Cook down the mushrooms and remove when they start to get soft.

Once all vegetables are cooked and set aside get your skillet hot and throw in your strips of steak.  Sear all sides and then turn down the heat to low.  Add in all of your vegetables and a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary.  Allow all of these flavors to come meld together for several minutes.

Just prior to serving add several chunks of blue cheese (to your liking) and then most importantly season your dish with either Ghost Pepper sea salt for a kick or Smoked Serrano for a milder heat.  The salts are what really elevate the dish to another level!

Tomato and Blue Cheese Chicken Soup!

I'm always finding new ways to use left over chicken!

Chicken is so versatile and goes well with almost any ingredient.  I personally, am a buffalo chicken wing junkie and therefore tend to make all chicken taste this way.

This one is a soup version and is made by sauteing your favorite vegetables in a large pot.  I used 2-3 carrots, 1 medium onion and 2-3 stalks of celery.  

When vegetables are softened, add in your diced or shredded chicken meat along with a quart of homemade chicken stock.  Next, add your favorite marinara or tomato based sauce.  I added a jar Fresh Basil Marinara which contained all natural ingredients.

Simmer on the stove for 30 minutes or more to meld all the flavors together. 

Now the fun....

Ladle out this soup into your favorite bowl and add several chunks of blue cheese.  Kick up the heat and salt your bowl of goodness with Ghost Pepper sea salt for intense heat or for a more mild version add Smoked Serrano sea salt!

Enjoy!

Seasoned Cream Cheese and Veggies

Want a quick bite with some flavor!  Are you always reaching for the quick bag of chips or other pre-made boxed snack?

I've got a great alternative that will give you that same flavor satisfaction with the same ease of preparation and best of all, better for your body in the long run.

It's chopped raw veggies...with a kick!  Take your favorite cream cheese and sprinkle it with a seasoned sea salt blend! It is amazing what a little fresh, natural seasoning will do for the simplest of ingredients.

Thai Ginger Sea Salt is so good on raw vegetables and we added a little Ghost Pepper for some heat!  Remember not too much, just enough to add flavor and add all the mineral goodness only fresh natural sea salt can provide.

Try and eat about 80% raw vegetables to take advantage of all of the live enzymes in these little gems.  Remember color is representative on of what the vegetable contains...try and include as many colors as possible.

Sunchoke Chips 'Simply Elevated'!

Are you avoiding processed potato chips, but crave them like I do?

Are you adventurous and love to try new things?  Then sunchokes are something you should definetely experiment with!

They are a cross between a potato and a rutebaga, only richer, nuttier and sweeter.

They might be a little intimidating to look at, but they are just as easy to work (just like potatoes).  Just scrub the outer side, peel any spots you feel uncomfortable with and then treat like a potato!

I love potato chips and I do not eat them anymore because I react to the specific starch in potato, BUT not in these little gems!

I scrub and peel (as necessary) and then thinly slice.  I heat up a large pan with coconut oil and then throw these lovely slices in the hot coconut bath!  

Turn and watch them...once they turn golden brown strain them on a plate with a paper towel.  

Sprinkle with any of the blended sea salts:  We love Ghost Pepper, Spanish Rosemary, Sun Ripened Tomato, Thai Ginger and Smoked Serrano...just really depends on our mood or what we are serving them with!

Introducing Ghost Pepper Sea Salt!

One of our newest blends at Old City Salt's and one of my personal favorites is the Ghost Pepper sea salt.  

This sea salt blend is made with one of the hottest peppers in the world, the Naga Bhut Jolokia or more commonly known as : Ghost Pepper, Ghost Chili Pepper, Red Naga Chili or Ghost Chili.

This sea salt blend is for those wanting a spice that will heighten the foods flavor with an added kick of heat.  Made from pure, unrefined sea salt and the Naga Jolokia pepper, this salt has a spicy hot flavor that is without compare. 

The heat in this sea salt blend will linger slowly, but not painfully throughout your meal.  It pairs very well with chicken, ribs, chili, salsa, fajitas and more! 

Check out our blog for some really simple elevated dishes using Ghost Pepper sea salt!

Order a sample for $3.50 at www.oldcitysalts.com or click on our blog's banner image to be taken to our store!