Dave&#8217;s House Salt

Porcini Mushroom and Onion Dip with Dave’s House Salt

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Dave’s House Salt

Because one of the ingredients in Dave’s House Salt is porcini mushrooms, you can omit the dried porcini mushrooms, but they’re the secret to a really rich mushroom flavor. Other great seasonings that pair well with this recipe are The Salt Table’s Porcini Mushroom Salt and Black Truffle Salt.

To make this into a sturdy spread, omit the mayonnaise, cut the sour cream to ½ cup, and add a softened 8-ounce package of cream cheese.

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1 pound small crimini (brown or baby bella) mushrooms
2 large yellow onions, peeled and diced
4 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Salt Table’s Dave’s House Salt
Crackers, melba toast rounds, pita chips, or scoop type corn chips, for serving

How to make it:

Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over them, and let them soak until softened, about 15-30 minutes. Lift the reconstituted mushrooms from their soaking liquid, squeezing them dry over the bowl, and set them aside. Strain their soaking liquid through paper towel or coffee filter and set it aside as well. Clean the fresh mushrooms with a dry cloth or paper towels, trim, and thickly slice or quarter them.
Put the onion, half the butter, and half the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium low heat. Cover tightly and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have sweated out their liquid and are softened, about10-15 minutes. Remove the lid, raise the heat, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is completely evaporated. Stirring almost constantly, cook until onions are golden brown. Remove them from the pan and let them cool.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan, let it get hot, and add the fresh mushrooms. Sauté until beginning to color and add the reconstituted mushrooms and their soaking liquid. Bring to a boil, and cook until the liquid is evaporated. Let it cool, then transfer to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until they’re chopped fine but not pureed.
Blend together the sour cream and mayonnaise until smooth. Fold in the mushrooms, onions, and parsley. Season to taste with Dave’s House Salt. Cover, and chill for at least 2-3 hours. Taste and adjust the seasonings and transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Sprinkle it with parsley and serve with crackers, melba toast rounds, or pita chips.

Suggested Seasonings

Hostess City Southern Hospitality Blend

Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloin-Stuffed Biscuits

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Hostess City Blend

Once upon a time, pork tenderloins, sliced, pan-fried, and stuffed into piping hot biscuits was a special farmer’s breakfast treat during the fall and winter months, since those were the only times this rare cut was available. Today they’re available all year long and this makes a great inexpensive party hors d’oeuvres. The Salt Table’s Hostess City Blend is a perfect match for pork, especially when it’s pan-fried like this. Other great seasoning to pair with them are The Salt Table’s Spanish Moss Blend, Dave’s House Salt, and salt-free Old Man River Blend.

Some like a dollop of chutney or fig preserves added to each biscuit.

If you’re too intimidated by making biscuits, Mary B’s frozen biscuits are actually quite good and can be substituted for the from-scratch biscuits suggested here. (See Biscuits recipe below)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin, about 1-1¼-pounds
The Salt Table Hostess City Blend
All-purpose flour spread on a plate plus 1 rounded teaspoon if making gravy
Olive oil
1 dozen hot Buttermilk Biscuits (recipe follows)

How to make it:

Trim the tenderloin of membrane and excess fat and remove the silverskin. Pat it dry with a paper towel and cut it crosswise into ½-inch-thick medallions. Lay them between sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper on a sturdy work surface and lightly beat them out to a little less than ¼-inch thick. Season all sides well with Savannah Spanish Moss Blend.
Film a large a large cast iron skillet with olive oil and warm it over medium-high heat. When the fat is hot (an edge of the meat should sizzle when dipped into it) quickly roll the medallions in flour, shake off the excess, and slip them into the pan. Fry quickly, turning several times, until they’re browned and just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes altogether. Take care not to overcook them.
Take them up to a warm serving platter and turn off the heat. While the biscuits are hot, split them in half by tearing them open. Fill each with a tenderloin medallion and serve immediately, while piping hot.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes 12-15, depending on the size

Ingredients:

2 cups Southern soft-wheat flour or soft wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon The Salt Table Fine Sea or Himalayan Pink Salt
4 tablespoons chilled lard or shortening, cut into small bits
¾-1 cup whole-milk buttermilk or plain whole-milk yogurt thinned with milk to buttermilk consistency

How to make it:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 500°. Sift or whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the lard and cut it in with a pastry blender until it’s the texture of grits or polenta meal with lumps the size of small peas. Do not over-blend; the small lumps of shortening are what will make the biscuits flaky.
Make a well in the center and pour in 3/4 cup of the buttermilk. Mix with as few strokes as possible until the dough clumps together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding milk by the spoonful until the dough is no longer crumbly.
Turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat out 1-inch thick. Fold it in half and pat flat again. Repeat twice more, then lightly flour the surface and roll it out ½-¾-inch thick. Using a 2-inch biscuit cutter dipped in flour before each cut, cut straight down without twisting into 12 biscuits. When cutting at the edges, be sure that there is a cut side all the way around. Lay them on an un-greased baking sheet; for very light, fluffy biscuits with soft edges, let them on touch; for crisper biscuits (the kind I prefer), space them at least half an inch apart.
There will be left over scraps: rework by lightly gathering them into a lump, gently fold it over itself and pat flat. Pat and fold as before about 3 times, just until the scraps hold together, then pat it out ½-¾-inch thick and cut. To help the tops brown, some cooks brush them with milk or melted butter. Bake until they’re risen and golden brown on top, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Suggested Seasonings

Savannah Spanish Moss Blend

Mushroom Bruschetta with Dave’s House Salt

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring Dave’s House Salt Blend

Salt Table’s Dave’s House Salt, with its porcini mushroom, really boosts the flavor of cultivated mushrooms and is the perfect simple seasoning for this simple bruschetta topping. Another great combination would be either the Salt Table’s Wild Porcini or Black Truffle Salts paired with Old Man River Blend.

Serves 4 to 8

Ingredients

¾ pound brown (crimini) mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
About 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, peeled but left whole
Salt Table Dave’s House Salt
16 ½-inch thick slices baguette
½ lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley

How to make it:

Wipe the mushrooms clean with a dry paper towel and thinly slice them. Melt the butter in 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they’re beginning to color. Season well with Dave’s House Salt and toss well. If they’ve thrown off any liquid, continue cooking, stirring, until it’s evaporated. Turn off the heat. The mushrooms can be prepared several hours ahead. Let cool and cover until needed.
Heat an iron griddle or large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, adjust the heat to medium-low, brush one side of the bread with olive oil and put it in the pan, oiled side down. Toast until the bottoms are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, brush the tops with oil, and turn them over. While the upper sides are still quite hot, rub lightly with the garlic clove. Meanwhile, reheat the mushrooms over medium low heat. Add a squeeze or so of lemon juice, to taste, stir, and turn off the heat. When the crostini are ready, top them with the mushrooms. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Suggested Seasonings

Meatballs Bourguignon with Dave’s House Salt

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Dave’s House Salt

Meatballs are a great hot appetizer, and can be varied by simmering them in just about any sauce. Here the sauce is based on the French classic beef stew a la bourguignon, but you can change it up by substituting barbecue, marinara, a Southeast-Asian-style spicy-sweet sauce, or even your favorite Stroganoff.

Dave’s House Salt, with its onion, garlic, porcini mushrooms, and spicy jalapeno, is a great blend for this, but you might also try a combination of Salt Table’s Porcini or Black Truffle Salt and Old Man River Blend, both in the meatballs and the sauce.

Makes about 48-50 small cocktail meatballs, serving 8-12

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

2 slices firm, home-style bread
Whole milk
1½ pounds ground beef chuck
Salt Table Dave’s House Salt
Olive or vegetable oil
For the sauce:
2 slices extra-thick-cut bacon (about 2 ounces), diced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped fine
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped fine
2 ounces (about 1 cup) finely chopped brown (crimini or baby bella) mushrooms
¼ cup flour
3 cups French Burgundy or Pinot Noir
2 cups beef broth
1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
Salt Table’s Dave’s House Salt

How to make it:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 400° F. Put the bread in a mixing bowl and drizzle enough milk over it to saturate it. Let it soak for a minute, then squeeze it dry, discarding the milk. Crumble the bread back into the bowl. Crumble in the beef, season well with House Salt, and mix well.
Rub a large rimmed sheet pan with oil. Moisten your hands with water and form the meat into 1-inch balls, laying them on the prepared pan as you go with about ½-inch between them. When all the meatballs have been shaped and placed on the pan, put them in the center of the oven and bake until they’re nicely browned, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: put the bacon in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until it’s browned and it’s fat is rendered. Add the onion and sauté until softened but not coloring, about 2 minutes. Then add the carrot and sauté 2 minutes more. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté until they’re beginning to color, about 4 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir until smooth. Slowly stir in the wine and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Then add the broth, bring it to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaf, and season to taste with Dave’s House Salt. Bring it back to a simmer, and simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the meatballs to the sauce, bring it back to a boil, and adjust the heat to the slowest possible simmer. Simmer until the sauce is thickened and the meatballs are deeply infused with its flavor, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaf. They can be made ahead: cool, cover, and refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Reheat them gently over medium low heat. Serve from a chafing dish or slow-cooker set to “keep warm.”

Suggested Seasonings

Hot Three-Cheese Dip with The Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend

Gooey, a bit messy, and loaded with calories (but so worth it!), hot cheese dip is always a crowd pleaser and the Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend really boosts the flavor without adding salt. Other great seasoning blend pairings for this dip are Dave’s House Salt, Hostess City Blend, and Savannah Spanish Moss Blend.

Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
6 ounces (1½ cups) extra sharp cheddar, grated
2 ounces (generous ½ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
½ cup finely chopped scallion (about 3-4 small scallions)
The Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend
The Salt Table’s Fine Sea or Himalayan Pink Salt
Crackers, plain melba toast rounds or pita chips, or scoop-type corn chips

How to Make:

In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Set aside 1/3 cup of the cheddar and fold the remainder into the cream cheese. Fold in the Parmigiano and scallion. Season to taste with Old Man River Blend and mix well. Taste, and if it needs salt, add a little sea or Himalayan Pink salt as needed.
Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch gratin or small baking dish, smooth top, and sprinkle with the reserved cheddar. Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before baking.
3. When ready to serve, take the dip from refrigerator and put it on a rimmed baking sheet. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375° F. Bake the dip until it’s bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 20-25 minutes. Serve with crackers, melba toast rounds, pita chips, or sturdy scoop-type corn chips.

Variation: Three Cheese Ball. To make this into a cold cheese ball spread, put all the cheese into the mix, then cover the bowl and chill the cheese for 2-4 hours or until fairly firm. Scoop it onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a ball. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. Just before serving, unwrap the ball and roll it in chopped toasted pecans, chopped crisp bacon, or minced flat-leaf parsley. Put it on a serving plate and surround it with crackers, melba toast rounds, or plain pita chips.

Suggested Seasonings