I’ve got a new salt bae! I’ve teamed up with Morton Salt to debut their Alexa app skill, “Morton Salting Sous Chef.” When enabled, you can ask Alexa to “Open Morton” and she’ll ask you what you’re cooking. Answer the prompts and she’ll share helpful tips for boiling, grilling and roasting. Here are two recipes that use Morton Coarse Kosher Salt in different ways to bring out better texture and flavor.
Grilled Butter Wings
Imagine KFC’s fried chicken without all the breading. I’ve substituted fresh herbs where I could and broke out the basil and thyme to sprinkle on the end to activate their essential oils with the heat emanating from the chicken. The magic of salt brining is that it keeps meats moist. I know it’s a pain to wait for food to marinate, but trust me, it’s worth it.
| Things you'll need: | |
| 1 pound of chicken wings 1 cup buttermilk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 4 1/2 tablespoons Morton Coarse Kosher Salt, divided 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, stems removed 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped |
1 teaspoon oregano 1 tablespoon mustard 2 tablespoons paprika 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder 1/2 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon ginger, minced 1 tablespoon pepper |
Brine the chicken wings in the buttermilk and 4 tablespoons of salt for at least an hour and up to 4 hours.
Meanwhile, mix the rest of the salt with the butter, oregano, mustard, paprika, garlic, onion, ginger, and pepper.
Start a grill or preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Drain the chicken wings from the buttermilk and grill for 10 to 15 minutes on each side. Brush them with the spiced butter every 5 minutes. They are done when they are no longer pink and have an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Alternatively, bake the chicken wings from 20 to 25 minutes until they read an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Remove the wings to a platter and finish with the fresh basil and thyme.
Firework Potato Salad
Light up the picnic table with this bright, crunchy potato salad. Instead of celery, I’ve added colorful rainbow chard stems to the mix. Boiling the potatoes with salt flavors them seamlessly so you don’t have to add more salt later.
| Things you'll need: | |
| 2 potatoes, cubed 4 leaves Swiss chard and stems 2 cloves garlic, sliced 2 spring onion ½ cup mayo |
2 tablespoons mustard 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 lemon, zested 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 cup Morton Coarse Kosher Salt |
Boil a pot of water with the salt. Once it is at a rolling boil, add the potatoes. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Turn off the heat.
Combine the garlic, half the onion, mayo, mustard, vinegar, lemon zest, juice, paprika and salt in a mixing bowl.
Quickly drain the potatoes and combine with the dressing. Fold in half of the swiss chard leaves and stems.
Place half the potato salad on a serving platter, cover with the remaining chard and pile the rest of the potato salad. Garnish the top with the last of the onions.