Chive Blossom Salt

  

Chive Blossom Finishing Salt

This herb salt transforms spring’s first delicate herb shoots into the ultimate seasonal seasoning. Unlike dried herb mixes, this cooked salt creates a cohesive spring flavor where each ingredient shines yet blends harmoniously. Use it to sprinkle over spring favorites like morels, sweet peas, lamb, eggs and asparagus.

Note:  The preparation and chopping of herbs takes time.  This is not a quick into the jar recipe.  Two weeks later the melding flavors have developed to make the finishing salt a wonderful addition to any dish.  The colors will remain vibrant if not over baked.  

Ingredients: 
½ cup chive blossom flowers (remove the calyx, the petals separate) 
¼ cup finely chopped parsley leaves
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
¼ cup finely sliced chives
¼ cup finely chopped fennel fronds
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons Aleppo or Cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons mixed-color crushed peppercorns
1½ cups Maldon flake salt, not table salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225°F.                                                                             

Combine herbs, zest, and spices in a medium bowl. Gently fold in salt until well mixed, using your fingers to incorporate thoroughly. 

Spread mixture evenly on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 20–25 minutes, until herbs have lost most moisture but remain "greenish".  Let cool. 

Store in a covered container for several weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

Chive Blossom Salt

 

Chive Blossom Salt

This herb salt transforms spring’s first delicate herb shoots into the ultimate seasonal seasoning. Unlike dried herb mixes, this cooked salt creates a cohesive spring flavor where each ingredient shines yet blends harmoniously. Use it to sprinkle over spring favorites like morels, sweet peas, lamb, eggs and asparagus.

Note:  The chopping and prep of herbs is time consuming.

Ingredients:
½ cup chive blossom flowers
¼ cup finely chopped parsley leaves
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
¼ cup finely sliced chives
¼ cup finely chopped fennel fronds
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons Aleppo or cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons mixed-color crushed peppercorns
1½ cups Maldon flake salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225°F.                                                                             

Combine herbs, zest, and spices in a medium bowl. Gently fold in salt until well mixed, using your fingers to incorporate thoroughly. 

Spread mixture evenly on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 20–25 minutes, until herbs have lost most moisture but remain greenish. Let cool. 

Store in a covered container for several weeks. Makes about 2 cups.

Sheet Pan Vegan Sausage, Polenta Atnd Peppers

Sheet Pan Vegan Sausage, Polenta, And Peppers

When you’re craving something spicy, here’s an easy, vegetarian sheet pan dinner of plant-based sausage, rounds of polenta, sweet peppers and fennel. If you’re a meat-eater, it’s just as delicious with an Italian or Mexican-style chorizo sausage.  Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil, plus more for brushing
1 small red or orange bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/3 trimmed fennel bulb, sliced lengthwise 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick, long 

   ones cut in half
Salt to taste
1/4 tube (250 g) ready-to-eat polenta, sliced into 4 rounds
Large pinch dried leaf oregano
1 to 2 spicy plant-based sausages, depending on appetite
1/2 cup (125 mL) prepared marinara sauce
Fennel fronds to garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Brush with a little oil.

Place peppers and fennel in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil and season with salt. Toss to coat. Spread out in middle of baking sheet. Place polenta on sheet, brush with oil and sprinkle with oregano. Add sausage and brush with oil.

Roast until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. When almost ready to serve, microwave tomato sauce in a ramekin until hot.

Place polenta and sausage on plate. Stir vegetables and transfer to plate. Garnish with fennel fronds. Serve with tomato sauce.

Charred Fennel Soup With Walnut Relish

                     Charred Fennel Soup With Walnut Relish

Made with peak-season fennel charred in a cast-iron pan, this silky soup is the perfect way to show off its beautiful flavour. Look for fennel bulbs that have plenty of feathery fronds still attached and use as many of those as you’d like in the relish—they bring a bright freshness to it.
Ingredients:
Soup
2 large fennel bulbs
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tbsp (45 mL) salted butter
4 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 cups (1.5 L) no-salt-added chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup (125 mL) heavy cream (35%)
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped chives
1 tbsp (15 mL) strained fresh lemon juice
Relish:
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped toasted walnuts
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped chives
1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 mL) roughly chopped fennel fronds,
Roasted walnut oil to garnish
Directions:
Position rack in centre of oven. Preheat to 450°F (232°C).

For the soup, trim fennel bulbs, reserving fronds for relish. Save stalks for stock. Remove any bruised outer layers of bulbs, if necessary. Cut each bulb through the core into quarters. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel, cut sides down. Cook, undisturbed, until one cut side is deeply browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn each wedge so cut sides are facing up. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to centre of oven and roast until edges are charred and cores are almost tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until shallots are very soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add charred fennel and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover with lid. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is very tender, 10 to 14 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in cream, chives and lemon juice. Using an immersion blender, purée until very smooth. (Alternatively, soup can be transferred to a blender in batches and puréed.) Adjust seasoning, if necessary. (Cooled soup will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 2 days. Reheat over medium heat.)

For the relish, combine walnuts with chives and fennel fronds in a small bowl.

Ladle soup into warmed bowls. Garnish with relish and drizzle with walnut oil. Serve immediately.    Serves 6 to 8