Ger-Nis INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Salt, Pepper and Herbs! Oh My!

Throughout history, salt, pepper and herbs have been some of the most important commodities around. They have played a pivotal role in the evolution of food and eating. They have been used for preserving, flavoring, curing and simply enhancing food for a very long time. In fact, these items were sometimes used as types of currency in different parts of the world. Today, salt, pepper and herbs continue to thrive and evolve while maintaining their prominence as some of the most basic and important culinary ingredients in the world. Of course, their uses are as diverse as their many varieties, but the combination of salt, pepper and herbs are one of the common elements of cooking and eating the world over.

We tend to think of salt and pepper as, well, black and white, but when we dig a little deeper we see a rainbow of flavors, colors, uses and varieties. As the world grows smaller our knowledge of the vast array of options for salt and pepper grows larger. Suddenly, we realize that salt and pepper are not as black and white as we initially suspected.

Let’s take a ride on this rainbow and discover the options and uses for salt and pepper. Learning to use the different types of salts and peppers while pairing them with fresh and dried herbs can truly enhance our cooking and eating experiences.

Salt

Salt was originally used to preserve foods, especially meats, and it is still widely used as a preservative today. However, salt has also evolved into one of the most practical, useful and affordable resources for creating exciting, tasteful and wonderful foods. Salt is a mineral and is obtained typically from sea water and rock deposits. Its color range includes white, grey, pink, red, brown and black depending on the other minerals present and the level of processing. As we move into a healthier way of living and a less deprecating form of treating our planet, we are slowly moving back to salts that are more pure and natural. Thus we are seeing salts make a cultural comeback, and we have better access to salts from regions where they have been used in their pure forms for generations. The processing of salt in Western countries dictated that only white salt was acceptable, but as the world grows smaller we have become wiser. We have found that natural salt options are not only more pure and less processed but are also less threatening to the planet. They are also better for our health as well, so out with the highly processed and refined salts and in with the pure and natural. There are a plethora of options just waiting for you to discover them, so take a ride on this rainbow. The salts you discover may seem exotic but in the end they are really just pure salts from the earth!

Basic Sea Salt

Sea salt consists of large, soft salt crystals made by simply boiling and evaporating salt water. The most basic and widely used of all the salts, sea salt is compatible with most types of cooking because it dissolves easily. It is typically mild in flavor and rich in minerals. It is one of the best raw salts and is the best for baking.

Fleur de Sel

Fleur de Sel is also a type of evaporated salt water but it comes specifically from a single day’s evaporation of the salt crust on the top of a salt pond. It is the least salty and purest part of the saline layer on the pond. Prized for its delicate flavor, fleur de sel is a great all around salt.

Grey Sea Salt

Grey sea salt is hand harvested sea salt from the Atlantic ocean. The harvester sweeps the top of the evaporating sea water to collect grey sea salt. It is subtle in flavor and grey in color and is typically wetter than the other salts. Due to the clumping nature of wetter salts, grey sea salt is best used in cooking rather than on raw foods.

Himalayan Sea Salt

Himalayan sea salt is pink salt taken from the beds of two million year old inland seas in India. The pink color comes form the iron that is trapped in the ground. Himalayan sea salt is very delicate in flavor and, because of its color, is very aesthetically pleasing so it can be used for salt type garnishes like margarita glasses and salted limes.

Rock Salt

Rock sea salt is the coarse salt left behind during the process of harvesting sea salt. This salt has larger granules and is best used either in the grinder or for picking, rubbing or baking in salt covered fish. The granules are too hard to add straight to food; they are much better used with dishes that require longer cooking times so that the rock salt has ample time to dissolve.

Pink Sea Salt

Like Himalayan sea salt, pink sea salt is harvested from dried up sea beds. Also like Himalayan sea salt, pink sea salt is light in flavor and contains high amounts of iron, although not as much as Himalayan. It looks very nice as a garnish sprinkled on foods.

Black Mineral Salt

Black salt is an unrefined mineral salt that ranges in color from pinkish gray to dark grayish black and has a strong sulfuric flavor. Black salt is mined in India and is used most often in Indian cuisines. Chemically, black salt consists of sodium chloride with iron sulfurous compounds and other trace minerals.

Other salts you may enjoy experimenting with include Hawaiian salt, Peruvian pink salts, and Chardonnay Oak smoked salts.

Pepper

Technically a berry, the peppercorn grows on a vine and has many little berries. Typically the berries are dried in different stages of the ripening process somewhat like coffee. However, we are seeing a resurgence of peppercorn berries being extracted earlier in the ripening process and used without being dried. Native to India, the typical colors of peppercorn berries are light green, green, pink, red, white and black. Red, like the color of a bell pepper, is the hue of a fully ripe peppercorn pepper. The spiciness of the peppercorn comes form the chemical pepperine. Pepperine has been found to help boost human metabolism.

As with all procedures used to cure or process food, peppercorns are processed differently depending on their color. Peppercorns can be used naturally without chemical or additive enhancements, however it is important to mention that many of the mass-produced, mainstream black peppers are not produced in this same way. There is some controversy regarding health hazards and the system for processing mass-produced peppercorns. For our purposes, we are specifically discussing peppercorns produced and treated without chemical additives and processed naturally.

Green Peppercorns

Green peppercorns are unripe, dried pepper berries. The peppercorns have a very mild and fresh flavor at this stage and are very aromatic. Their mild flavor pairs well with cheeses, tomatoes and fruits.

Black Peppercorns

Black peppercorns are pickled green that have been sundried. They are the most widely used of all the peppercorns. The black color comes through during the pickling and drying process when all the browning enzymes turn black. Black peppercorns have a much earthier and spicier taste; they are commonly used on most foods.

White Peppercorns

White pepper is made by soaking the almost ripe berries in water and rubbing the skin off of the berries before they are dried. White pepper is spicier than the others and more pungent, but unlike the others it does not have an intense aroma. The flavor of white pepper pairs well with soups, beans and seafood.

Pickled Peppercorns

Pink or green peppercorns are peppercorns that have been pickled in vinegar or brine. They are best known for their use in Tabasco sauce. They are tangy and spicy and are very good in creamy sauces and on meats.

Pink Peppercorns

Pink peppercorns are not true peppercorns. They come from the Schinus tree. They lack the spicy aroma normally associated with pepper and have a pine flavor unlike real peppercorns. Pink peppercorns work well with both sweet and savory dishes.

Mixed Peppercorns

For the most diverse flavor, we recommend putting a combination of all the peppercorns in your pepper grinder. If you don’t have a pepper grinder, a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or even a coffee grinder can be very helpful tools when it comes to creating salt, pepper and herb concoctions in the kitchen.

Spice Up your Everyday Cooking with these Ideas for Salt, Pepper and Herbs

Citrus Rub for Chicken, Fish, Seafood and Vegetables
Juice and zest of 1 lemon and 1 lime
1 t zest of orange
1 T orange juice
1 T cracked, mixed peppercorns
2 T grey sea salt or Fleur De Sel
¼ c chopped parsley
¼ c chopped basil
1 pinch of chili flakes

With mortar and pestle, pound the zest, cracked peppercorns, salt and herbs. Add citrus juice and continue to pound. Add citrus rub to fish or chicken before and/or after cooking. Sprinkle on steamed vegetables.

Chili Basil Salt
1/4 c chopped fine basil
1 t chili flakes
2 T sea salt
parmesan cheese (optional)

Mix all ingredients well. Sprinkle on pasta, pizza and seafood.

Preserved Lemons & Preserved Lemon Mint Granita
1 lb lemon skins
½ c sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 pinch of black peppercorns
juice of 1 lb of lemons

Put all ingredients except lemon juice in a glass jar and mix well.   Let stand for 3-4 days. Add lemon juice and let stand in a dry dark, cool place for 1 month.  Making sure the lemon skins are submerged well.

FOR THE GARNITA:
2 c lemon juice
½ c sugar
½ c preserved lemon
zest and juice of 2 lemons
½ c chopped fresh mint

Combine all ingredients except mint in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat to allow cooling. Pour the mixture into a shallow metal pan and add the chopped mint. Freeze for about 1-2 hours scraping the pan occasionally. Scrape the granita well before serving to break it up.

Mediterranean Fish Rub
¼ c chopped fresh oregano
¼ c chopped fresh basil
¼ c chopped fresh marjoram
3 T mixed cracked pepper berries
2 T grey sea salt
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 T olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a mortar and pestle and rub on fish before grilling or baking. This is also wonderful on broccoli.

Fennel and Herb Peppered Tuna Steaks
2 T fennel seeds
juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 T cracked black pepper
1 tsp salt
2 T chopped fine parsley
2 tuna steaks

Mix all ingredients except tuna in a mortar and pestle until well mashed. You can also grind in grinder. Spread mixture on tuna steaks and let stand for about 10-15 minutes. Grill or sauté for a few minutes on each side or to desired consistency; 1-2 minutes for rare steaks and 4-5 for medium to medium well.

Basil Peppered Strawberries with Crème Fraiche
1 c strawberries cleaned, hulled and cut in half
½ c water
juice and zest of 1 tangerine
½ c sugar
2 T cracked blacked pepper
½ c chopped basil
crème fraiche

Place the strawberries, sugar, water, zest and juice in a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sugar is totally dissolved and the mixture is a little thick. Take off of heat and add basil. Let stand for about 30 minutes and serve chilled over crème fraiche or at room temperature over crème fraiche.