These flavoured salts are quick to whip up and will last for ages so you can make them well in advance of the big day.
I have chosen a spring-y herb and lavender flavour and also a smokey spicy salt which would be great for summer. You could also include a little tag with some recipe suggestions for your guests. See the bottom of the post for some food pairing inspiration.
What you need:
– Mortar and pestle (or small food processor or spice grinder).
– Test tubes with lids. I picked these up on Ebay. You could also use little decorative jars.
– Small funnel.
– For the lavender and rosemary salt – 1/3 cup fresh rosemary, dried in microwave (instructions below), 1 tablespoon dried edible lavender, 1/2 cup cooking salt.
– For the smokey chilli and lime salt – 1/2 cup cooking salt, 2 teaspoons dried chilli flakes, 2 teaspoons fresh lime zest, dried in microwave (instructions below), 1 teaspoon smokey paprika.
For the lavender and rosemary salt
Using a mortar and pestle (or small food processor or spice grinder), finely crush the rosemary and lavender. Add the salt and crush until well combined. Using a funnel, fill the test tubes with the flavoured salt. Makes 3/4 cup.
For the smokey chilli and lime salt
Using a mortar and pestle (or small food processor or spice grinder), crush together the salt, chilli, lime and paprika until well combined. Using a funnel, fill the test tubes with the flavoured salt. Makes 1/2 cup.
Tips:
– To dry herbs and zest in the microwave, place on a paper towel and top with another paper towel. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, until dried. I found that full rosemary sprigs took around 1 minute 30 seconds and lime zest took around 1 minute. I prefer to do it this way as you retain the fresh flavour and colour of the herbs. If you choose to use store-bought dried rosemary, you will need to use less as it is stronger.
– Cooking salt is a coarse salt that can be found really cheaply in the supermarket. This makes it great for those on a budget. If you want to get really fancy, you could use sea salt flakes instead.
– You can easily double or triple these recipes as you need. The salt will last for at least 6 months in a cool, dry spot.
– Recipe suggestions:
Try the lavender and rosemary salt pressed onto lamb cutlets before barbecuing, tossed with roasted carrots, sprinkled over goats cheese and honey bruschetta or as a sprinkle for frosted chocolate cupcakes.
Try the smokey chilli and lime salt on barbecued steaks, as a rimming salt for a bloody mary, sprinkled on hot chips or as a garnish for a caprese salad.
Images, wooden teaspoons and tutorial by emerald + ella
I’m Jane Howard, the girl behind emerald + ella – an online shop and blog which encompass a world of beautiful, eclectic things. I’m also a recipe writer, food stylist, vintage collector, New Zealander, married to an Aussie boy, aspirational crafter, wine drinker, pulled pork sandwich lover and basically just a girl who likes pretty bits and pieces.
Thank you so much for this! I am doing a flavoured salt (for the guys) and a body scrub (for the girls) and your chilli and lime salt was exactly what I had in mind, I just hadn’t been able to find the right recipe anywhere. At least now I don’t have to wing it!