Roasted Smokey Shepard's Pie

Shepard's pie is an amazingly rich and hearty meat pie with cooked carrots, peas, onions and smothered in mashed potatoes.

I made a slight variation and used roasted yellow and red bell peppers, roasted poblano peppers and substituted the mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower.

It was the same satisfaction of a rich Shepard's pie, but gluten free.

Ingredients:

1)  2 lbs ground beef
2)  4-5 cloves of garlic
3)  2 tablespoons of olive oil
4)  Salt and pepper to taste
5)  1 medium onion
6)  2 roasted poblano peppers
7)  2-3 roasted bell peppers
8)  1 large head of cauliflower
9)  1 stick of grass fed butter
10)1/2 cup of cream
11)Smoked Serrano Finishing sea salt

Directions:

Season ground beef with minced garlic and medium onion.  Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the meat mixture along with salt and pepper to taste.  

Roast your peppers on a baking tray drizzled with olive oil at 425 degrees until soft and slightly charred.  Remove peppers, dice and set aside.  Bake the meat pie in the oven at 425 degrees uncovered until cooked through.

The cauliflower will be chopped into florets and boil on top of the stove until fork tender.  Drain and blend in 1 stick of grass fed butter and 1/2 cup of cream.

Add mashed cauliflower to meat pie and top with peppers.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes to heat all ingredients.

Remove, serve and sprinkle with Smoked Serrano sea salt.

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!

Steak and Cauliflower two ways!

Here at Old City Salts we get a lot of local farm fresh ingredients to cook with...and we are always looking for a great protein to add to these wonderful whole fresh vegetables.

The other day we received several large heads of cauliflower, both dark yellow and the white variety.  Decided to cook them two ways and add a nicely iron pan seared flank steak.

Ingredients:
1)  2 large heads of cauliflower (any variety)
2)  1 bulb of garlic
3)  Extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
4)  1 stick of grass fed butter
5)  1 cup of cream cheese
6)  1 large flank steak
7)  Smoked Serrano sea salt

Directions:

Roasted cauliflower - wash and break into florets of cauliflower.  Arrange on a baking tray and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.  Chop garlic cloves in half and add to the mix.  Season with Smoked Serrano sea salt and broil in the oven at 425 degrees until softened and lightly browned.

Creamy mashed cauliflower - This is a lovely version of a creamy mashed potato.  Wash and break into florets and add to a large pot of boiling water.  Cook until tender with a fork.  Drain all water and add in the cream cheese and butter.  Mix well with a blender and serve with a drizzle of olive oil on top and season with one of Old City Salts gourmet blended sea salts.  We used Smoked Serrano on these as well!

We paired these lovely cauliflower dishes with a well marinated and seasoned flank steak that we seared on top of the stove in a cast iron skillet!  These dishes pair well with just about any protein.

Enjoy creating fantastic simple dishes with cauliflower and Old City Salts!

Bon Appetit!

Salt...not all are created equal!

I am ecstatic about the amount of social media outlets that allow us to educate and help people find more natural ways to feed, cleanse and beautify our bodies.  

It is a powerful source and I am so thankful it is there!  We have entered this arena to support the whole food movement and to season responsibly.  More on our health challenges and background that led us to become a gourmet sea salt company can be found here.

Now…our passion and quest to ‘Simply Elevate’ fresh whole ingredients with Salt!

Salt has been a vital part of existence for thousands of years.  In the early years it was mainly used for curing and preserving, feeding ourselves and livestock.  It also took on other useful purposes such as tanning hides, producing dyes and other chemicals and medicines.  Access to salt became essential to survival and salt began to localize groups of people.  Salt varied from region to region and it quickly became a source of trade.

Jump to the industrial age and salt became a significant chemical needed in many modern processes.  In these processes salt was needed in its purest form.  Highly processed salts have undergone an extreme temperature (above 1200 degrees Fahrenheit) which removes the minerals and retains nearly pure sodium chloride - an unnatural chemical form of salt that your body recognizes as something completely foreign.   

This form of salt is in nearly every form of preserved processed product that you eat.  If you are eating mainly processed foods your body is receiving more salt than it can dispose of.  

Salt is essential to life and can be very beneficial in its natural state and can be very detrimental in its "chemically cleaned" state.  Avoiding table salt is beneficial especially if you have a high processed food diet.  

When you choose to eat whole fresh foods flavored and seasoned with natural sea salt you are adding ingredients your body recognizes and utilizes for proper bodily functions. Natural sea salt contains 70 or more trace minerals necessary for life, these minerals are retained in natural sea salt and available to our bodies.

At Old City Salts, we believe in the benefits of consuming and creating great meals with natural sea salts versus refined table salt.  Our gourmet sea salt blends are two ingredients: natural sea salt and one other ingredient.  Using these all natural blended sea salts is fun, easy and satisfying on many levels.  Once you start using these sea salt blends you will never go back to refined table salt.

These sea salt blends are the perfect complement to simple, whole, fresh ingredients.  They provide a unique mineral flavor, texture and crunch that can be paired with many simple ingredients to 'Simply Elevate' them!  

Experiment with all 8 of our gourmet sea salt blends!  We have a 1 oz. and 4 oz. package available on all of our blends.  The 1 oz. size is perfect for sampling and finding your favorite blend.  A 1 oz. bag will generally last between 16-20 plates of food.  

We have enjoyed sharing these gourmet blends and have over a 100 recipes on our blog, ‘Simply Elevate’…A Culinary Journey, that show how to use these finishing salts on simple, whole fresh foods. 

A little introduction of each blend: 

Sun Ripened Tomato Sea Salt:

The rich tomato flavor in this salt is created by a special process that actually incorporates the whole tomato. This salt literally is a mix of whole tomatoes with our unrefined sea salt.   It contains natural traces of other minerals, including iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc and iodine. Proponents of sea salt rave about its bright, pure, clean flavor, and about the subtleties lent to it by these other trace minerals.

Our Sun Ripened Tomato Sea Salt will brighten any dish. Get creative and spice up your next whole, fresh ingredient with the tang of tomato and zip of sea salt!

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/tomato-bisque-and-sun-ripened-tomato.html

Smoked Serrano Sea Salt:

Serrano’s have a more fruity pepper taste than jalapenos. They're not milder, but they have better flavor, crisp, bright and biting, more fully developed, and not just all heat.  The Serrano pepper's Scoville rating is 10,000 to 25,000. It is said that Serrano chilies have a "delayed fuse," which means that their heat takes a moment to fully kick in when it hits the palate.

The Serrano pepper is typically eaten raw and they are commonly used in making Pico de Gallo. It is also commonly used in making salsa.  Our Smoked Serrano Sea Salt has the wonderful qualities of the fresh Serrano pepper with a mild 'heat'... making it a delicious alternative for those who cannot eat spicy, hot peppers.  

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/sweet-and-spicy-wings-and-smoked.html

Vanilla Bean Sea Salt:

This salt is made with genuine Tahitian Vanilla Beans mixed with a delicate hand-harvested sea salt.

Vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron, because growing the vanilla seed pods is labor-intensive. Despite the expense, vanilla is highly valued for its flavor and is widely used in both commercial and domestic baking, perfume manufacture and aromatherapy. The combination of sea salt and vanilla bean accentuates sweet desserts and is also used as a drink rimmer, on fresh fruit, salads, pasta, finishing.

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/vanilla-bean-dusted-parsnip-fries-and.html

Thai Ginger Sea Salt:

  

Ginger produces a hot, fragrant kitchen spice. Young ginger rhizomes are juicy and fleshy with a very mild taste. Our Thai Ginger combines the clean simple flavor of sea salt with fresh, juicy ginger. The ginger flavor of this gourmet sea salt blend variety cannot be matched by powdered or synthetic flavorings. 

Use on grilled veggies, Asian noodles or fish. Great for chocolatiers and pastry chefs alike.

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/banana-apple-caramel-bread-pie-dusted.html

Aged Balsamic Sea Salt:

True balsamic vinegar is rich, glossy, deep brown in color and has a complex flavor that balances the natural sweet and sour elements of the cooked grape juice with hints of wood from the casks. Revered by chefs and foodies everywhere, fusing together the rich, concentrated flavor of aged Modena balsamic vinegar with our hand harvested sea salt was a no-brainer. The result is a mouthwatering balance of sweet, sharp, spicy, and salty.

Try it on a salad with fennel, herbs and tomato, any dish with ricotta cheese, or on sliced pears for a super easy delectable snack.

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/01/aged-balsamic-parmesan-cheese-and.html

Ghost Pepper Sea Salt:

The Naga Bhut Jolokia is a chili pepper previously recognized by Guinness World Records as the hottest pepper in the world.

With a taste only for the very daring, this salt is the hottest salt in the world! Made from pure, unrefined sea salt and the Naga Jolokia pepper, this salt has a spicy hot flavor that is without compare. Named for one of the most venomous snakes in India, this pepper, also known as the King Cobra Chili, has a blazing heat that is out of this world. For some flaming flavor, sprinkle over chicken wings, chili, or your fajitas, but beware – this salt bites back!

Uses: Roasted vegetables, seafood, meats, finishing, fried foods 

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/03/blue-cheese-steak-fajita-and-ghost.html

Spanish Rosemary Sea Salt:

Spanish Rosemary is an all-natural sea salt that delivers a straight from the 'Herb Garden' flavor. A perfect pairing with roasted potatoes, it will make this simple dish extraordinary. Add to any dish to give it a fresh herb taste.

Rosemary is one of the most commonly used herbs in Italy especially for roast lamb and kid. Italians have a passion for rosemary and you will see it in many of the true Italian recipes. If you go to an Italian butcher shop and order lamb they will include several sprigs of rosemary with the meat. Rosemary is discreetly used in French, Greek or Spanish cooking. Just sprinkle our Spanish Rosemary Sea Salt on your spaghetti sauce... it will bring out the flavor of other ingredients.

Uses: Roasted vegetables, meats, salads, pasta, bread dipper (w/olive oil)

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2013/04/caramelized-sweet-onion-toast.html

Espresso Brava Sea Salt:

Espresso is a concentrated beverage brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans.  In Italian tradition, espresso is best enjoyed in one hot gulp. At Old City Salts, we adore the fusion of espresso with sea salt.

 It's not only a delicious addition to chocolates and desserts, it is also a rising star in rubs and marinades for steak, pork, or whatever you can think of!

 A delicious match with a cognac reduction, or anything with nutmeg, anise, vanilla, cherry, hazelnut, raspberry...The only limit for this Espresso Brava Sea Salt is your imagination.

Uses: Desserts, drink rimmer, steak rub

'Simply Elevated' Recipe Idea:  http://oldcitysalts.blogspot.com/2012/12/skirt-steak-marinated-with-espresso.html

If you are intrigued with the idea of gourmet finishing salts to elevate simple whole fresh food…follow us on Facebook and experience life with flavor!

Bon Appetit!

Smoked Serrano Sauteed Broccoli

Smoked Serrano sea salt adds a very mild smokey heat to food.  It brings out great flavor on any ingredient.

It was perfect on freshly sauteed broccoli and toasted almonds!  It makes this common blend a little more special!

Ingredients:
1)  One head of broccoli
2)  1/2 cup of slivered almonds
3)  Tablespoon of coconut oil
4)  Smoked Serrano sea salt
5)  Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Chop broccoli into florets and lightly saute in coconut oil.  In a separate pan toast the slivered almonds in a bit of coconut oil until lightly browned.  Plate and top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and finish with Smoked Serrano sea salt!

Enjoy!

Fresh Vegetable Dip Simply Elevated!

We received several bunches of organic carrots and spinach the other day from local farms.  It is so amazing to see the carrots with fresh dirt on them and long green fresh stems!

This recipe came about because we were invited to a get together with friends and I wanted to bring an appetizer.  I had the carrots and spinach starring me in the face...

My thought was to make a quick vegetable dip!  This was so easy and quick to make.  It is extremely healthy and it is a great way to consume vegetables raw. 

Ingredients:
1)  3-4 carrots
2)  1 large bunch of spinach
3)  3-4 cloves of garlic
4)  8 oz package of cream cheese
5)  Extra virgin olive oil
6)  Sun Ripened Tomato sea salt or Ghost Pepper for some heat.  

Directions:

In a nutri bullet or powerful blender add 2 carrots, garlic cloves and a handful of fresh spinach.  Add in the cream cheese and enough olive oil to puree the mix to a creamy consistency.  

Take the left over carrots and spinach and hand chop into small pieces to add texture to your dip.  Season with one of Old City Salts gourmet sea salt blends to 'Simply Elevate' this dip!  We used Sun Ripened Tomato sea salt and a little of the Ghost Pepper to give it a little heat!

Get creative!