Savannah Shamrock Dust

Stout-Braised Short Ribs with The Salt Table Shamrock Dust, River Street Cobblestone Blend or All Round Good Grinder Blend.

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table Shamrock Dust, River Street Cobblestone Blend, or All Round Good Grinder Blend

Short ribs braised in stout is an Irish favorite that has become popular in Savannah not only during our infamous St. Patrick’s Day celebration but throughout the winter. Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust is the perfect pairing for stout-braised beef. Other great blend alternatives for this recipe are River Street Cobblestone Blend and of course All Round Good Grinder Blend.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4½ pounds (bone-in) beef short ribs
• Salt Table Shamrock Dust, River Street Cobblestone Blend, or All Round Good Grinder Blend.
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced small
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
• 2 large ribs of celery, strung and diced small
• 1 12-ounce bottle of Irish Stout
• About 3 cups beef broth or 1½ cups beef broth mixed with 1½ cups chicken broth
• 2-3 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

How to make it:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Wipe the ribs dry with paper towels and season with Shamrock Dust. Heat the oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed braising pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss ribs in flour, shake off excess, and add them to the pan. Raise the heat to medium-high and brown them well on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. This can be done in batches if necessary. Transfer them to a rimmed sheet pan, plate, or platter.
2. Lower the heat under the pan to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté, tossing, until softened and beginning to color. Sprinkle lightly with Salt Table Shamrock Dust, River Street Cobblestone Blend, or All Round Good Grinder Blend and pour in the stout. Bring it to a boil, stirring and scraping to loosen the cooking residue, then return the ribs to the pan. Pour in enough stock to half-cover the ribs, cover, and set bake for 30 minutes.
3. Lower the heat to 275 degrees and continue baking until the ribs are falling off-the-bone tender, about 3-4 hours more.
4. Tip the pan and spoon off the excess fat. If the cooking liquid seems too thin, remove the ribs to a platter and put the pan over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a boil, adjust it to a lively simmer, and cook until it’s reduced and thick. Return the ribs to the sauce and let them rewarm. Sprinkle them with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, Irish colcannon (mashed potatoes and greens), or crusty bread.

Suggested Seasonings

Savannah Shamrock Dust

Savannah River Street Cobblestone Blend

All Round Good Grinder Blend

Asparagus alla Parmigiana (Asparagus Gratin)

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust

(Salt Table blends that are also great with this asparagus recipe are Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning and Dip Blend and Tybee Island Coastal Blend.)

One of the great dishes of spring’s table in Parma, Italy, is fresh, fat asparagus, layered with butter and cheese and baked until the cheese is just barely golden. The Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust really brings out the fresh spring flavor in this classic dish.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds fresh, fat asparagus
• Salt Table Crystal Clear Sea Salt
• Salt Table Shamrock Dust*
• 4 tablespoons best quality salted butter, melted
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Cut off about an inch of the asparagus stem base and stand it in a vase or bowl of cold water for at least half an hour. Peel the tough parts of the stem with a vegetable peeler and drop them into a basin with cold water. Leave the asparagus in the water until you are ready to cook it, but for no more than 2 hours.
2. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a large, deep skillet and prepare a basin of ice water. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water and slip in the asparagus. Cook 1-2 minutes, then immediately drain and drop into the ice water until cold. Drain and pat dry. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.
3. Half an hour before serving, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450° F. Butter a 3-quart casserole or gratin dish. Layer the asparagus with a sprinkling of Shamrock Dust, melted butter, and a little Parmigiano, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

Suggested Seasonings

Savannah Shamrock Dust

* Another Salt Table Blend that are great with asparagus is Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning and Dip Blend and Tybee Island Coastal Blend.

Spring Leeks Au Gratin

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

The Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust (or All ‘Round Good Grinder Blend, or Southern Italian Blend)

We don’t often give leeks a starring role on their own, but in the spring when they’re fresh and new they make a great vegetable side dish. The Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust is the perfect seasoning to bring out their freshest and best spring flavor.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds slender young leeks
• Salt Table Fine Himalayan Pink Salt
  
• Salt Table Shamrock Dust*, or All ‘Round Good Grinder Blend, or Southern Italian Blend
  
• 1 cup heavy cream (minimum 36% milkfat)
• 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Trim the roots and withered leaves from the leeks. Trim the green tops to a uniform length that will fit into the gratin dish. Holding them root-end-up, wash well under cold running water, bending back the leaves to get all the grit between the layers. If you’ve not been able to find slender leeks, cut them in half lengthwise. Drop them into a basin of cold water.
2. Put enough water to half cover the leeks in a wide, shallow skillet that will hold them in one layer. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Drain the onions and add them to the pan. Loosely cover, let it come back to a boil, then uncover, add a healthy pinch of Pink Salt, and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until just tender, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Butter a large oval gratin dish. Remove the leeks with a slotted spatula or tongs, drain well, and transfer them to the prepared dish. Season them with Shamrock Dust.
4. Raise the heat under the skillet to medium-high and boil the liquid down to 2 tablespoons. Add the cream and let it come to a boil. Let it boil until it’s lightly reduced and slightly thickened. Pour the cream evenly over the leeks. You may make it through this step as much as 4 hours ahead. Let cool completely and loosely cover. Refrigerating is not necessary.
5. About 45 minutes before serving, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 450° F. Sprinkle the leeks with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and bake until golden and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

Suggested Seasonings

Savannah Shamrock Dust

* Other Salt Table Blends that are great with these and other green onions are All ‘Round Good Grinder Blend and Southern Italian Blend.

Broccoli Gratin

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust (or Leek, Chive, and Onion) 

The Salt Table’s Shamrock Dust and Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning blends are great for flavoring weeknight casseroles, especially fall broccoli. This gratin is a fresh take on an old favorite using fresh broccoli and real cream, and thanks to The Salt Table’s seasoning blends, it’s as fast and easy as the old standby with frozen vegetables and a can of cream soup.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 1¼ pounds broccoli
• Salt Table Himalayan Pink Salt (fine ground)
• 2 teaspoons Salt Table Shamrock Dust or Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning Blend, or to taste
• Pinch of dry mustard powder
• 1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• About 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup crushed cheese cracker crumbs (such as Cheez-it Crackers)

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Prepare a large, wide saucepan or Dutch oven with 1-inch cold water. Put in a steamer insert, making sure the water doesn’t touch its bottom. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Wash and trim the broccoli and peel the tough stems. Cut off the stems and cut it in 2-inch lengths, then divide the florets into smaller pieces.
2. When the water is boiling, add the broccoli to the insert, cover, and steam 2 minutes, then sprinkle with Pink Salt. Cover and steam until just tender but still bright green, about 6 minutes more. Remove from the steamer and let cool.
3. Lightly butter a 9-inch gratin dish or shallow casserole. Roughly chop the broccoli and put it in dish. Sprinkle it with the Seasoning Blend and mustard. Set aside ¼ cup of the cheese and add the remainder to the casserole. Gently toss to mix, taste and add more seasoning blend if needed, then level the top with a spatula and sprinkle and pour enough cream over it to almost cover the broccoli. Sprinkle the reserved 1/4-cup of cheese evenly over the top.

Note: The gratin can be made up to this point as much as 4 hours ahead. Let it completely cool before loosely covering it, and let it stand at room temperature.

4. About 45 minutes before you’re ready to serve, position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat it to 375° F. If you’ve made the gratin ahead, uncover it and sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top. Bake in the center of the oven until bubbly and lightly browned, about 35-40 minutes. Let it settle for 5-10 minutes before serving, but serve it hot.

Suggested Seasonings

Savannah Shamrock Dust

Leek, Chive & Onion Seasoning and Dip Blend

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning Blend or Shamrock Dust

Homemade ranch dressing is perfect with fall salads, especially those with an autumnal flare thanks to apples, pears, pecans, walnuts, and blue cheese. The Salt Table’s Leek, Chive, and Onion or Shamrock Dust Seasoning Blends make homemade ranch dressing a snap.

Makes about 1-2/3 cups

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup whole milk buttermilk, well shaken
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons Salt Table Leek, Chive, and Onion or Shamrock Dust Seasoning Blend
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or cider vinegar

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Whisk together sour cream or yogurt and mayonnaise until smooth. Gradually whisk in buttermilk.
2. Whisk in mustard, Seasoning Blend, herbs, and lemon juice or vinegar. Cover and chill at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend; 6-8 hours is better. Can be made 3-4 days ahead.

Suggested Seasonings

Leek, Chive & Onion Seasoning and Dip Blend

Savannah Shamrock Dust

Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table’s Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning Blend and Shamrock Dust

The Salt Table’s Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning Blend and Shamrock Dust are not only for spring or for beguiling Leprechauns. They’re great with autumn vegetables and in hearty fall and winter soups and stews. Either blend gives this fall favorite a wonderful lift. If you’d like a richer soup, stir in half a cup of heavy cream just before serving.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely minced shallots (about 4 medium-to-large)
• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled, split, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons Salt Table’s Leek, Chive, and Onion Seasoning Blend or Shamrock Dust
• 1 large sprig sage
• Salt Table’s Fine Himalayan Pink Salt (if needed)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions or chives
• ¼-½ cup slivered toasted and lightly salted pecans, optional

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Warm the butter and shallot in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes, then add the squash and toss until hot.
2. Add the broth, the Seasoning Blend or Shamrock Dust, and sage, and bring to simmer. Adjust the heat and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with Pink Salt as needed. Let simmer a minute longer, turn off the heat, and let it settle for 5-10 minutes.
3. Remove and discard the sage and puree the soup, either with a hand blender or in batches in a regular blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade. It can be made up to three days ahead: cool, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
4. To serve, gently reheat the soup over medium low heat, stirring often. If it has been made ahead and has gotten too thick, thin it with water as needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning, simmer 2-3 minutes longer. Ladle it into warm soup bowls and garnish with green onions and toasted pecans.

Suggested Seasonings

Leek, Chive & Onion Seasoning and Dip Blend

Savannah Shamrock Dust